Chandigarh, June 3 (IANS) After the scrutiny of nomination papers for the Ludhiana West Assembly bypoll, 15 candidates’ nominations have been accepted.

State Chief Electoral Officer Sibin C on Tuesday said from May 26 to June 2, a total of 22 candidates had filed nominations for the seat.

Following the scrutiny of nomination papers, 15 candidates’ nominations were found valid.

These candidates are: Baldev Raj Katna (Independent), Bharat Bhushan (Congress), Parupkar Singh Ghuman (Shiromani Akali Dal), Sanjeev Arora (Aam Aadmi Party), Paramjeet Singh Bharaj (Independent), Albert Dua (Independent), Jatinder Kumar Sharma (National Lok Seva Party), Kamal Pawar (Independent), Rajesh Sharma (Independent), Neetu (Independent), Jeevan Gupta (BJP), Navneet Kumar (Shiromani Akali Dal-Amritsar), Renu (Independent), Pawandeep Singh (Independent), and Gurdeep Singh Kahlon (Independent).

The CEO further stated that nomination papers can be withdrawn until June 5, after which the picture will be cleared of how many candidates will remain in the fray for the by-election to be held on June 19, along with four other Assembly seats — two in Gujarat and one each in Kerala and West Bengal.

The political scene in Punjab’s industrial city has already heated up for this seat that fell vacant with the demise of incumbent lawmaker Gurpreet Gogi Bassi, 58, who died after sustaining a gunshot wound to his head at his house in January.

The counting will be held on June 23 simultaneously with other Assembly seats.

The state’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party in February announced Rajya Sabha member Arora as its candidate for the byelection, while the main Opposition Congress has fielded former minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, who is being accused in a multi-crore foodgrain transportation and labour cartage tender scam.

The SAD has nominated Ghuman for the bypoll and the BJP fielded Gupta.

By fielding a sitting MP, speculations in political circles are rife that AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal, who’s active in the state politics after facing humiliating defeat not only of his party but his bastion in Delhi Assembly elections, is going to the Rajya Sabha in his place in case Arora wins the bypoll. However, the party has so far denied that Kejriwal is moving to the Rajya Sabha.

–IANS

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