Amarinder, Sidhu file nominations for Punjab assembly polls

Chandigarh, Jan 18 (IANS) Taking the political battle right into the home turf of Punjab Chief Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal patron Parkash Singh Badal, Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh on Wednesday filed his nomination papers for the Lambi assembly constituency in Muktsar district.

Former MP, cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu, who joined the Congress party on Sunday, filed his nomination papers for the Amritsar East assembly seat.

"I promise to cook Parkash Singh Badal's goose in his own backyard. I will not rest till then," said Amarinder, who has entered the fray for the biggest political battle in Punjab of two top leaders contesting against each other.

Launching, what he has described as the `grandfather of all battles', Amarinder led a big procession after filing his nomination at Malout town, 280 km from here.

"I have vowed to wipe Badal from Punjab's political scene and have come to Lambi to teach him a lesson for life," Amarinder said.

Lambi is the traditional seat of Badal senior since 1997.

"We will set an example for all future chief ministers to ensure that they do not abuse their power to victimize the people the way Badal had done. Neither Parkash Singh Badal nor his kin would be spared for their wrong doings and for bringing Punjab to such a pathetic situation," Amarinder said.

In Amritsar, Navjot Singh Sidhu filed his nomination papers as a Congress candidate for the Amritsar East assembly seat on Wednesday.

The seat was earlier represented in the Punjab assembly by his wife Navjot Kaur.

"My fight is for the betterment of Punjab. Captain Amarinder Singh is leading our campaign. I am his soldier," Sidhu said.

Sidhu was elected MP from the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat in 2004, 2007 (by-poll) and 2009 on a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket.

Elections to 117 assembly seats in Punjab will be held on February 4.