Will ex-mayor hit jackpot in Amritsar (W)?

Will a former mayor from Amritsar hit the power jackpot in a row for the third time in the Assembly election is the key question in the Amritsar (West) constituency.

Congress candidate Om Parkash Soni, a former first citizen, has been retaining this seat for the last two terms, but as an Independent.

He was elected in 1997 for the first time when he contested as an Independent, after being expelled from Congress.

This time eight candidates are in the fray including Soni, Ajit Kumar of Bahujan Samaj Party, Amarjit Singh Asal of Communist Party of India, Rajinder Kumar of National Congress Party, Rajinder Mohan Singh China of Bharatiya Janata Party, Raj Kumar of BSP (Ambedkar).

BJP candidate Rajinder Mohan Singh Chinna has the advantage as party leader Navjot Singh Sidhu is contesting the Parliamentary bypoll from Amritsar.

CPI candidate Amrjit Singh is banking on the support of party leaders Satyapal Dang and his wife Vimla Dang, who had represented the seat earlier.

The constituency had been once a Communist stronghold with Satypal Dang representing it in a row from 1967-80 and his wife in 1992 and 97.

A problem for Soni this time is also the dissidence against his candidature by sitting Mayor Sunil Dutti who was also an aspirant for the ticket, which was announced at a late stage.

This constituency has 2,31,000 voters.