Punjab: Over 50% candidates of mainstream parties in poll fray are graduates

Of the 65 candidates of the five political parties contesting all 13 Lok Sabha seats in Lok Sabha elections in Punjab, 52% (34) are graduates or have higher educational qualifications.

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP), Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) are the mainstream parties of Punjab which are contesting on all the Lok Sabha seats in the state and the scrutiny of the educational qualifications of the 65 candidates revealed that as many as 31 leaders are either matric or below or a Class 12 passout. As many as 24% (16) of the candidates are matric or below, while 23% (15) candidates have either completed Class 12 or are diploma holders.

There are 21 (32%) graduates in the poll fray, while 17% (11) have post-graduation degrees and two candidates (3%) are PhD (Doctor of Philosophy).

Former chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, who is contesting from the Jalandhar Parliamentary seat on a Congress ticket, is the most qualified candidate with a PhD, MA in political science, MBA and LLB. BJP’s Anandpur Sahib candidate Subhash Sharma also holds a PhD in economics.

Former Indian ambassador to the US and BJP Amritsar candidate Taranjit Singh Sandhu completed his MA in international relations from Jawaharlal Nehru University. Former IAS officer and BJP’s Bathinda candidate Parampal Kaur holds a degree of master of philosophy (MPhil) and MSc. There are five doctors in the fray in the state. Congress candidate Dr Dharamvira Gandhi is MBBS from the government medical college (GMC) Patiala, AAP Hoshiarpur candidate Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal is an MD (Radiodiagnosis) from the government medical college, Amritsar, AAP Patiala MLA and party candidate Dr Balbir Singh is master of surgery (ophthalmology) from Panjab University, Chandigarh, and BSP candidate Makhan Singh is a MBBS. Congress Fatehgarh Sahib candidate Dr Amar Singh also holds an MBBS degree.

Meanwhile, BJP’s Sangrur candidate and former Dhuri MLA Arvind Khanna is the only graduate from a foreign university. Khanna has graduated from Pepperdine University, California, USA.

Anandpur Sahib has most qualified candidates in fray

With a PhD, three postgraduates and a bachelor of engineering (BE) degree holder Anandpur Sahib parliamentary constituency will see a contest between the most qualified candidates in the state. BJP’s Subhash Sharma is a PhD holder, while SAD’s Prem Singh Chandumajra has done an MA (economics) and MA (political science). AAP’s Malvinder Singh Kang has an MA in history and is also an LLB. BSP state president Jasvir Singh Garhi, have done an MA in public administration, while Congress candidate Vijay Inder Singla hold degree an engineering degree. SAD (Amritsar), candidate Kushal Pal Singh Mann also holds a BTech degree.

No graduate in Ludhiana

In the stark opposite, the Ludhiana constituency will witness the fight among the leaders with the least educational qualifications. BJP’s Ravneet Singh Bittu is the only candidate who has passed class 12. Punjab Congress chief and party candidate Amarinder Singh Raja Warring is a matric pass, while AAP sitting MLA and Lok Sabha candidate Ashok Parashar Pappi is a Class 7 passout.

Similarly, SAD candidate and former MLA Ranjit Singh Dhillon is Giani from Panjab University, Chandigarh. One can pursue “Giani” after class 10, which is proficiency and study of the Punjabi language. Meanwhile, BSP’s Davinder Singh has done diploma after matric.

In Ferozepur, apart from SAD’s Nardev Singh Mann, who is a graduate, the other four candidates are matric or below. Both former minister and BJP candidates Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi and BSP’s Surinder Kamboj have passed matric. Muktsar MLA and AAP candidates Jagdeep Singh Kaka Brar and former MP Sher Singh Ghubaya are under matric as per their affidavits.