Chandigarh: Over 1,030 candidates, including several rebels of the ruling Congress and main opposition Shiromani Akali Dal, are in the fray for the 117 assembly seats in Punjab that goes to polls on Feb 13. 

Monday evening was the last day of withdrawal of nomination papers by candidates. As many as 1,664 candidates had filed their nominations for various seats till Jan 25 - the last date for filing of nominations.

 State election department officials said the number of contesting candidates in the 2002 assembly polls was 923.

According to Congress general secretary Janardhan Diwedi, rebel candidates contesting against official Congress candidates would stand automatically expelled from the party for six years.

Shiromani Akali Dal president Parkash Singh Badal also warned rebel candidates of strict action if they did not withdraw or tried to sabotage chances of the party's official nominees.

The main contenders in the fray are Amarinder Singh from Patiala, Parkash Singh Badal from Lambi, deputy chief minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal from Lehra, former Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) president Jagir Kaur from Bholath and several ministers in the present Punjab government.