Lok Sabha elections: Warring, Ghubaya Congress's Bathinda, Ferozepur picks

BATHINDA: After a long wait, the Congress finally declared its candidates from Bathinda and Ferozepur parliamentary constituencies. Former president of All India Youth Congress and two-time Giddarbaha MLA Amrinder Singh Raja Warring has got the Bathinda seat and former SAD leader Sher Singh Ghubaya has been fielded from Ferozepur.

Raja Warring is contesting Lok Sabha polls for the first time and Ghubaya will be contesting his third parliamentary election but first on a Congress ticket. He had won the Ferozepur seat twice earlier for SAD, in 2009 and 2014 elections. The Congress was waiting for Shiromani Akali Dal to announce its candidates from the two seats but finally made the announcement first on Saturday evening.

Both Raja Warring and Ghubaya are considered bitter critics of the Badal family. The name of Punjab finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal was doing the rounds for Bathinda but the party finally opted for Raja Warring, who is namesake of the Punjab CM, Captain Amarinder Singh.

Ghubaya, who recently joined the Congress, was confident of getting the ticket.

Ferozepur parliamentary seat has eluded Cong for 35 years

The Congress has not won Ferozepur for the last 35 years and 7 elections and Bathinda for last 28 years and 6 elections. Gurdial Singh of Congress had won Ferozepur in 1984 and Kewal Singh of Congress had won the 1991 election from Bathinda.

Reacting to his nomination, Ghubaya said, “I am indebted to Congress president Rahul Gandhi and Captain Amarinder Singh for reposing faith in me. I will do my best to break the jinx for Congress from Ferozepur.”

“I will contest the election as one of the biggest tests of my life. For me, to win the seat for Congress is foremost priority and this will pave the way for seeing Rahul Gandhi as Prime Minister of India,” said Raja Warring.