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Onkar Singh in Chandigarh
Uttar Pradesh and Uttaranchal are not the only states where offspring and relatives of prominent politicians are in the fray for the forthcoming assembly elections.
More than two dozen sons, daughters, wives and husbands of prominent politicians are in the fray in Punjab.
Parminder Singh, son of Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers, Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, is contesting on a Shiromani Akali Dal ticket from Sunam constituency. This is the second time he is in the fray.
Son of Uttaranchal Governor and former Punjab chief minister Surjit Singh Barnala, Gaganjit Singh, is contesting on a SAD ticket from Dhuri assembly seat.
Similarly, the son and daughter of former chief minister of Punjab Beant Singh, Tej Parkash Singh and Gurkanwal Kaur, are contesting from Payal and Jallandhar cantonment respectively, again on SAD tickets.
Former Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee chief Jagdev Singh Talwandi's son Ranjit Singh Talwandi has been given a SAD ticket from Rai Kot in Ludhiana. A trail court in a murder case recently discharged Ranjit Singh.
Former Akali Dal minister and a close aide of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Sukhjinder Singh's son is contesting on a Congress ticket from Bhaloth. Former SGPC chief Bibi Jagir Kaur is his rival from SAD.
Son of former finance minister Balwant Singh, who was gunned down by terrorists in Chandigarh, Rajan Bir Singh is contesting on a Congress ticket from Sultanpur Lodhi.
The phenomenon of distributing tickets to sons and daughters of powerful politicians is not just confined to SAD or Congress party alone. The Panthic Morcha is also not far behind, with the son of Simranjit Singh Mann, Iman Singh, contesting the election from Sirhind on their ticket.
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