Except the names of their respective parties, families and political masters, both Bittu and Cheema have nothing to bank on. While Cheema is counting on the performance of the SAD rule in Punjab, Bittu is playing the anti-incumbency card with the support of the youth.

Factionalism is troubling both the nominees, who are using their mentors to get support from disgruntled cadres. Another factor, due to which the electoral battle of this seat assumes significance, is its sharing boundaries with the capital Chandigarh and having newly-carved-out Mohali Assembly constituency as its part.

As per the previous record of the total nine Vidhan Sabha segments spread across four districts included in Anandpur Sahib parliamentary seat, the Congress and SAD had been swapping power during the successive Assembly elections. Ropar, scrapping of which paved way for Anandpur Sahib, was also represented by the Congress and the SAD in the Lok Sabha. While five Assembly seats in Anandpur Sahib are presently represented by the SAD, Congress is ruling three and one has an Independent MLA, who supports the SAD.

The SAD has already suffered a blow in this constituency with its sitting MP Sukhdev Singh Libra joining the Congress and seeking re-election from the newly-carved-out Fatehgarh Sahib constituency as the Congress candidate. While Cheema has already completed a round of the constituency, Bittu kick-started the campaign after returning from Congress headquarters on Monday.