Punjab: Key Issues : Rebels
Assembly Elections
Punjab Issue
Rebels
The large number of rebels who have emerged after the announcement of candidates is another cause of worry for the Congress. The rebels could queer the pitch for Congress which is seeking to return to power in the state. The biggest embarrassment was the exit of Malvinder Singh, the brother of former Chief Minister and PCC chief Captain Amarinder Singh.

He was reportedly upset over the party`s decision to ignore him and give ticket to Amarinder`s son Raninder Singh for the Samana Assembly constituency in Patiala district.

Adding insult to the injury was Malvinder’s decision to join the opposition Akali Dal to campaign against the Congress.

Apart from Malvinder, daughter of assassinated chief minister Beant Singh and former minister Gurkanwal Kaur, former parliamentary secretary Hans Raj Josan, former Pathankot MLA Ashok Sharma, LA Baldev Singh, Sukhdev Singh Chahal, Amarjeet Sharma, Punjab Mahila Congress chief Malti Thapar, Surinder Kaur from Bhadaur and Parkash Singh Bhattai from Balluana have also expressed their resentments in public over rejection of their claims by the party.

In fact, an AICC leader speaking on the condition of anonymity has accepted that there are at least 40 rebels in the fray against the official Congress candidates.

The SAD-BJP combine is also facing rebellion. The biggest challenge has been from estranged Badal cousin, Manpreet Badal. The former finance minister was expelled from the SAD for criticising the party’s policies publicly. He went ahead and formed his own party and is expected to give a tough challenge SAD in many constituencies, especially because of his pre-poll alliance with the Left.

The list of SAD rebels also include Surinder Singh from Dhuri, Sant Ajit Singh from Rup Nagar, Gurpartap Singh Tikka from Amritsar South, Didar Singh Bhatti from Fatehgarh Sahib, Balwinder Singh from Ludhiana South seat, and his brother Simarjit Singh from the Atam Singh Nagar.

The impact of rebels on the actual outcome of the polls is yet to be ascertained, but they have definitely made the going tough for the major players.
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History Economy
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Amarinder Singh Parkash Singh Badal
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  Lambi Patiala
  Muktsar Majitha
  Hoshiarpur Malerkotla
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  Number of Seats and Electors  
     
  Chief Ministers with Most Tenures  
  Chronology of Chief Ministers  
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Issuse
Date of issue of Notification 05.01.2012 (Thursday)
Last Date for Nominations 12.01.2012 (Thursday)
Date for Scrutiny 13.01.2012 (Friday)
Date of Poll 30.01.2012 (Monday)
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