A Progressive Conservative candidate claims he was assaulted Saturday while knocking on doors in the Edmonton riding where he hopes to be re-elected on April 23.

"Obviously, this is a unfortunate incident. I will be making a full statement to police and hope no one, politician or otherwise, is subjected to violence," Thomas Lukaszuk said in a release.

Edmonton-Castledown MLA Thomas Lukaszuk says he was attacked on a constituent's front porch on Saturday. (CBC) According to PC campaign strategist Stephen Carter, the Edmonton-Castledown MLA and former minister of education approached a home with a Wildrose sign on it and was "punched and pushed" after the door was answered.

Carter said Lukaszuk was "fine but shaken" and that he was interviewed by Edmonton police at the scene.

However, the resident of the home insists he never punched Lukaszuk and only touched him when the candidate refused repeated requests to leave.

"He just stood there and started arguing and saying 'Why don't you like me?' and 'What have I ever done to you?' " Al Michalchuk said. "He just wouldn't leave."

Michalchuk said he eventually put his hand on Lukaszuk's shoulder and "nudged" him, still asking him to leave. He said he also put his hand between his shoulder blades, but he said he was never abusive.

"I'm 67 years old; I've got severe asthma; I'm in the final stages of liver failure; I don't know how much longer I've got to live. I couldn't punch my way out of a wet paper bag," he said.

Lukaszuk has represented the riding for the governing Progressive Conservatives since 2001.

With files from The Canadian Press