SAD fields ex-minister Gulzar Singh Ranike from Faridkot

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) Sunday announced that former minister Gulzar Singh Ranike will be its candidate from the Faridkot Lok Sabha seat in the upcoming polls.

SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal announced the candidature of Ranike, who is currently the party's Scheduled Caste wing president, in a statement here.

The announcement comes a day after the Congress declared that folk singer Mohd Sadique will be its candidate from Faridkot, a reserved seat.

The Aam Aadmi Party has nominated sitting MP Sadhu Singh and the Punjabi Ekta Party has fielded Master Baldev Singh, who quit the AAP in January, from the seat.

Ranike is a four time MLA from Attari (reserved) seat in Amritsar. He was a minister twice in the SAD-BJP government in 2007 and 2012.

He lost to Congress candidate Tarsem Singh DC from Attari in the 2017 Assembly polls.

The Akali Dal has so far announced candidates for seven seats.

Out of the 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab, the party will contest on 10 while its ally BJP will fight on three seats.

The seven-phase Lok Sabha polls will be held from April 11 to May 19 and the counting of votes will be taken up on May 23.

Polling will be held in Punjab on May 19.