No unanimity on winnable names, Cong central panel to take final call
Tuesday, 02/04/2019
http://paper.hindustantimes.com/epaper/viewer.aspx
CHANDIGARH: With differences emerging between members of the state screening committee over some seats, the central election committee (CEC) of the Congress headed by party president Rahul Gandhi will take a final call.
Only names on which consensus has been reached by the panel comprising chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh, Punjab Congress president Sunil Jakhar and Punjab affairs in-charge Asha Kumari and general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal, Rahul’s confidant, are likely to get approval during Tuesday’s meeting of the CEC.
The name of former Ludhiana MP Manish Tewari has been “cleared” by the panel for Anandpur Sahib as Amarinder and Asha are pegging it as a Hindu-dominated seat.
Jakhar is not on the same page and wants a Jat Sikh to be fielded from there. Those in know of the developments said one of the members told the panel that Rahul has not forgott e n that Tewari shied away from a contest in the 2014 parliamentary polls.
Though it was said during the panel meeting that senior leader Ambika Soni had backed Tewari’s candidature, her close aide said Soni has undergone surgery this week and has not conveyed anything to any of the panel members on her choice for seat.
As Jat Sikh candidate, name of Fatehgarh Sahib MLA Kuljit Singh Nagra, who had defeated Prem Singh Chandumajra in 2012 assembly elections, is also doing the rounds.
The possibility of local bodies minister Navjot Singh Sidhu’s wife Navjot Kaur being fielded from Anandpur Sahib too is not being ruled out.
The panel is also divided over whether Sangrur is a Hindu or Sikh-dominated seat. Amarinder and Asha are on same page here too and are pushing for candidature of Captain loyalist Kewal Dhillon, who ranks below state minister Vijay Inder Singla in party’s own surveys on winnability. Dhillon had reportedly not backed Singla during 2014 polls which he lost.
There is no unanimity on the Ferozepur seat too where Amarinder is keen on fielding another loyalist, sports minister Rana Gurmit Sodhi, who and Jakhar don’t see an eye to eye. Jakhar may throw his weight behind former Akali leader Sher Singh Ghubaya who hails from the dominant Rai Sikh community or a Hindu nominee, Raminder Awla.
Amarinder and Asha’s pick for Khadoor Sahib is Jasbir Dimpa but he too is facing resistance. “It is a hardcore Panthic seat and Akali Dal has fielded former SGPC chief Bibi Jagir Kaur and Punjab Democratic Alliance (PDA) has opted for Paramjit Kaur Khalra. The Congress has to match their pitch,” says former minister Inderjit Singh Zira, who is among the contenders.
Amritsar remains undecided too. Asha is learnt to be backing city mayor Karamjit Singh Rintu, who is part of the lobby opposed to Sidhu. But Amritsar MLAs HT spoke to said Sidhu or his wife Navjot Kaur would be a better candidate from here. Though the panel sees her as a winning candidate against Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal whether she contests Bathinda or Ferozepur, the Sidhus are not likely to bite the bait. Navjot Kaur has applied for the Chandigarh seat.
FIELDING MINISTERS TO CREATE CABINET BERTHS IN STATE?
While the party is willing to field ministers like Vijay Inder Singla or Manpreet Singh Badal from Bathinda, it is not too keen to give tickets to sitting MLAs, which is being seen within the party as a way to create vacancies in the state cabinet.
Denying that she is supporting or opposing any names, Asha said she is only giving her feedback on seats. “It is my duty to put forth facts. Punjab is a secular state and does not vote on communal lines. But we have to ensure some seats to Hindus too to strike a balance. Last time too, we had fielded three Hindus,” she added.
With screening panel members rooting for loyalists, resentment is brewing in the party. “Rahul’s idea of decentralising ticket distribution is being defeated. The docket of the AICC (All India Congress Committee) has caste and religion data for every seat along with comments of screening panel. But intelligence surveys are being cited to back candidates as winnable. Who can verify them? We were aiming to win all seats under ‘Mission 13’. But seats are being compromised at the ticket distribution stage itself,” a ticket applicant said, requesting anonymity.
