In the race for the Gurdaspur parliamentary seat, several prominent figures vie for the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) nomination. Former Member of Parliament and state BJP chief, Sunil Jakhar, along with Kavita Khanna, wife of the late four-time MP and film icon Vinod Khanna, emerge as frontrunners among half a dozen contenders.
Jakhar, a seasoned politician who served as the Gurdaspur MP for 18 months, brings a wealth of experience and understanding of the local political landscape. While he remains tight-lipped about his strategy, there is speculation that the party may utilize his services across all 13 seats, and a successful campaign could open the doors to the Rajya Sabha for him.
Kavita Khanna, a Barrister-at-Law and postgraduate in economics from a London university, has been a contender in previous elections. Her recent appointment as the chairperson of the Board of Governors of the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT), Sonepat, signals her alignment with the central leadership. Enjoying unwavering support from a powerful spiritual leader with ties to the top echelons of the BJP, Khanna presents a formidable choice.
However, Pathankot MLA Ashwani Sharma, despite his interest in the seat, faces challenges due to his previous opposition to Jakhar’s elevation as the state president. Other contenders include ex-MLAs Ashwani Sekhri, Fateh Jung Bajwa, Dinesh Babbu, and former Pathankot Mayor Anil Vasudeva, a reliable figure for the BJP in challenging times.
Leaders from the All India Congress Committee (AICC) advocate for a Hindu candidate, considering the constituency’s four Hindu-dominated Assembly seats. Ex-Pathankot MLA Amit Vij aligns with this strategy, hoping to capitalize on Hindu-majority areas like Bhoa, Pathankot, Sujanpur, and Dinanagar. Vij also aims to make inroads in Gurdaspur and Batala, both housing a significant Hindu voter base.
Baljeet Singh Pahra, the Gurdaspur Youth Congress chief, is a late entrant, working diligently to organize a rally on March 2, expecting the attendance of national youth president BV Srinivas and Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) chief Raja Warring.
Notably, Congress stalwarts Partap Bajwa and Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa have declined to contest, while for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the names of Pathankot eye surgeon Dr. KD Singh and Gurdaspur Planning Board Chairman Jagroop Singh Sekhwan are in consideration.
Within the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Ravi Karan Kahlon, the Majha youth president, and ex-Cabinet minister Daljit Singh Cheema emerge as front runners, with Cheema hailing from Sri Hargobindpur in Gurdaspur district.
