Gurdaspur by-poll: BJP fields Swarn Singh Salariya as party candidate

The Bharatiya Janata Party has fielded businessman Swarn Singh Salariya as the party candidate for the by-poll to the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat that fell vacant after demise of actor-turned-politician Vinod Khanna.

The by-poll for Gurdaspur Lok Sabha seat in Punjab will be held on October 11.

According to an official statement, Salariya's name was decided by the party's central election committee.

Sources in the party said after giving a deep thought over candidature, the party chose Salariya over Kavita Khanna, the wife of the late movie actor.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has already named Major General (Retd) Suresh Khajuria as its candidate while the Congress yesterday announced that its state president Sunil Jakhar would contest the by-poll.

"Swarn Singh Salariya will be the BJP candidate for the Gurdaspur parliamentary constituency bypoll," said Punjab BJP secretary Vineet Joshi.