Finally, it’s Capt versus Jaitley
Saturday, 22/03/2014
http://epaper.dailypostindia.com/Details.aspx?id=97791&boxid=62030&uid=&dat=20
Going ahead with its strategy of fielding party stalwarts against senior leaders named as party nominees by the SAD-BJP combine, the Congress high command on Friday announced candidature of former chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh and former Union minister and party general secretary Ambika Soni from Amritsar and Anandpur Sahib constituencies, respectively.
Capt Singh’s nomination comes a day after he had publicly expressed his unwillingness to contest from Amritsar. Singh had advocated fielding of any local candidate as party nominee. The BJP has already announced Arun Jaitley as its party candidate replacing Navjot Singh Sidhu, the sitting MP.
Ambika’s nomination has displaced the sitting MP Ravneet Singh Bittu ,whose candidature was declared in first list of Congress . Bittu, however, is likely to contest from Ludhiana where sitting MP Manish Tewari has opted out owing to his ill health.
Party sources said a reluctant Capt Singh had given his nod to contest from Amritsar after he was snubbed by Sonia Gandhi, who had summoned him to New Delhi and had a detailed meeting with him.
Former Patiala royal and 72 -year-old Capt Singh is currently a legislator in the Punjab Assembly from the Patiala seat and does not see eye to eye with Punjab Congress chief Partap Singh Bajwa for the fact that he still commands a good control over party leaders and cadre in Punjab.
During the meeting Captain Singh, said sources, also briefed Sonia Gandhi on why he was reluctant to contest from Amritsar.
By fielding Amarinder Singh, the Congress hopes to win the support
of Amritsar’s Sikh voters, who are seen to be disenchanted with the current MP and divided over support to the BJP-Akali Dal combine.
