BJP fields Inder Iqbal Singh Atwal for Jalandhar Lok Sabha bypoll

BJP fields Inder Iqbal Singh Atwal for Jalandhar Lok Sabha bypoll

Jalandhar: The BJP on Wednesday named Inder Iqbal Singh Atwal, who quit Akali Dal to join the party recently, as its candidate for the Lok Sabha bypoll to Jalandhar seat in Punjab. In a release, the BJP named Tankadhar Tripathy as its candidate for the assembly bypoll to Jharsuguda seat in Odisha.
The bypolls are due on April 20 and have been necessitated due to the death of sitting lawmakers.
Atwal, a former MLA, is the son of Charanjit Singh Atwal, who was the deputy speaker of the Lok Sabha from 2004 to 2009.Inder Iqbal Atwal is likely has been named BJP candidate for Jalandhar Lok Sabha bypoll. He is the son of former Lok Sabha Deputy Speaker Charanjit Atwal. He was an Akali leader but joined BJP in New Delhi on Sunday. Charanjit Atwal was the SAD-BJP combine candidate from Jalandhar in 2019. Inder Iqbal Atwal has been MLA from Koom Kalan constituency of Ludhiana.

Interestingly, Atwal whose nickname is Rinku will be pitted against his “namesake” AAP candidate Sushil Rinku. Charanjit Atwal had lost to Santokh Singh Chaudhary by 19,491 votes from Jalandhar in last Lok Sabha elections. The byelection was necessitated by the death of Santokh Chaudhary. Santokh Chaudhary’s wife Karamjit Kaur Chaudhary is Congress candidate for the bypoll.

While Atwal represents Majhbi Sikh community, the SAD-BSP, Congress and AAP candidates are Ravidassias.