SAD to nominate new candidates on 20-25 seats

CHANDIGARH: Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today said Shiromani Akali Dal will change candidates on 20-25 seats in the coming assembly polls asserting that the main criteria for selection will be the chances of winning.

"The candidates on 20-25 seats will be changed," Sukhbir told reporters here.

"Already candidates on 5-6 seats including Amloh, Patiala Rural, Sanaur, Phillaur and Banga have been changed," he said.

Asked about swapping of any seats with their alliance partner BJP, he said SAD will meet the representatives of saffron party soon to take a decision in this regard.

"Our candidates more or less are declared. Our poll manifesto will be released closer to elections," said Sukhbir.

As per alliance between SAD and BJP, saffron party contests on 23 seats out of 117 assembly constituencies.

To a question on Awaaz-e-Punjab, Sukhbir said "this Sidhu family used to praise AAP. And now it says there is no other party worse than it. They all are opportunists," he said.

Slamming Kejriwal for his promise to make Anandpur Sahib if AAP comes to power, Sukhbir said Amritsar was already a holy city and Kejriwal's comment showed that AAP was cut off from Punjab.

"Amritsar is already a holy city, they do not know even this. Basically they are cut off from Punjab. Not only Amritsar, Anandpur Sahib and Damdama Sahib are also holy cities. They (AAP) all are atheists. They do not know how to respect religion," he said.

"Kejriwal's intention is to use Punjab as battleground and he wants to be national personality to target Prime Minister. He is not development oriented, he is a agitationist," he added.

Lashing out at Congress, Deputy CM dubbed the opposition party as "confused", saying only poll strategist Prashant Kishor was running the party.

Exuding confidence in the SAD-BJP alliance, Sukhbir claimed the alliance "will rule for next 20-25 years in Punjab".