CHANDIGARH: As many as 48 MLAs will be making their debut innings in the new Punjab Assembly. The Assembly has 117 MLAs in total.
The highest number of newbies will be from Congress (24). The youngest MLA in the state is 25-year-old Davinder Singh Ghubaya from Fazilka. Amit Vij from Pathankot, Dalvir Singh Goldy from Dhuri, Avtar Singh Henry Junior from Jalandhar (north) and Angad Singh from Nawanshahr are among the first-timers in Congress.
Former Moga DC Kuldeep Singh Vaid from Gill and former PCS officer Ajaib Singh Bhatti from the reserved constituency of Malout, who won on Congress ticket, will also be a part of Assembly for the first time.
It is followed by Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as the rookie party has 20 MLAs as the main opposition party. Except Sukhpal Singh Khaira, who was elected on a Congress ticket in 2007, the rest are first-timers. Among the new entrants are Gurmeet Singh from Barnala, Rupinder Kaur Ruby from Bathinda (rural) and Primal Singh Dhaula from Bhadaur.
In the Shiromani Akali Dal, out of 15 legislators, four are first-timers. They are Dilraj Singh Bhundar from Sardulgarh, Sukhwinder Kumar from Banga, Kanwarjit Singh from Muktsar, and Baldev Singh Khaira from Phillaur.
Among the three BJP MLAs, Arun Narang from Abohar is new. Most of these MLAs are aged between 25 and 40 years.