Capt’s candidature unites Cong groups
Wednesday, 26/03/2014
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2014/20140326/punjab.htm#1
The candidature of Capt Amarinder Singh has enthused the Congress rank and file. Down in the dumps after losing two assembly elections and the local bodies poll, the Congress workers, sinking their differences, have joined hands to support Amarinder.
Amritsar Central legislator OP Soni and Rajasansi MLA, who were at loggerheads, have come together too. Amarinder reportedly brokered a truce between them. The two attended a meeting here today to chalk out a plan for Amarinder's road show on March 28.
The two MLAs had fallen apart after the 2009 Lok Sabha elections after Soni lost from Sukh Sarkaria's Rajansansi assembly segment. Sarkaria had raised a banner of revolt against PPCC chief Partap Singh Bajwa in September last.
He was apparently unhappy at Soni being appointed PPCC vice-president and Majha zone in charge. They now seem to have buried the hatchet. Both Soni and Sarkaria addressed the media today, saying they had ironed out their differences and stood united.
Congress leaders claim that Amarinder's candidature has "spread panic" in the ruling alliance. It has raised the stakes for the SAD that was instrumental in bringing Jaitley to Amritsar, not expecting the Congress would field a heavyweight against him, and that too a former Chief Minister.
"The Congress move has caught the alliance off guard," confessed a BJP leader. The continuous attack on Amarinder ever since his candidature was announced betrays the panic in the SAD camp. Also, Cabinet Minister Bikram Singh Majithia has been accompanying Jaitley to almost all events. Observers say since it was the SAD leadership that convinced Jaitley to contest from Amritsar, it is SAD's responsibility to ensure that he wins.
Meanwhile, senior Congress leaders have refuted the charge that Amarinder had been forced to contest from Amritsar, alleging that this was true for BJP Jaitley.
