Capt wants MLAs to stick to constituencies

Monday, 18/07/2016

http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/politics/capt-wants-mlas-to-stick-to-constituencies/267480.html

Chandigarh : Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh has said that he wants that the sitting MLAs should stick to their respective constituencies in the 2017 Assembly elections.

Talking to The Tribune today, Amarinder said he advocated rewards for the leaders (who work for the victory of the official party candidate) by appointing them as board and corporation heads in the event of the party forming the government.

Though the final decision on ticket allocation had to be taken by AICC president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi, the winability and performance of the sitting MLA would be judged while allotting tickets, he said.

The statement assumes significance as sources say at least 10 sitting MLAs are keen on switching their seats. “Since the Akalis want to change or switch candidates on around 30 seats, there is no harm in adopting the same strategy. The PPCC chief has also announced 35 seats to youth,” said a senior party leader.

Lal Singh, PPCC senior vice-president, said the only criterion was the winability, loyalty and credibility of the candidate. Shamsher Singh Dullo, Rajya Sabha MP, said there could not be any hard and fast rule. The winability and popularity should be the criteria. CLP leader Charanjit Singh Channi, however, said the sitting MLAs should concentrate on their respective seat as it would instill confidence in the voters.

Lal Singh for Amarinder as CM face

Patiala: PPCC senior vice-president Lal Singh on Sunday asked the party high command to declare Capt Amarinder Singh as CM candidate in the state as has been done in Uttar Pradesh where Sheila Dikshit has been named the CM candidate. While Congress leaders in the Amarinder's camp are confident that "he alone is the face of the party in Punjab and will be leading the party in the Assembly elections next year", they want that a formal announcement should be made. "We have better chances when the people of the state know whom they are voting to be the CM," Lal Singh said. TNS

Ticket only to winnable candidates: Asha

Nurpur (HP): Punjab Congress incharge Asha Kumari has said the party will not repeat its mistakes and give the party ticket only to deserving and winnable candidates in the state Assembly elections. Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, she said ticket aspirants had been asked to submit their applications along with their biodata to the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) by August 15. She asserted that Punjab would witness a direct poll contest between the Congress and Akali-BJP alliance candidates, while the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) would not be accepted by the electorate as it had no knowledge of Punjab and Punjabiyat. Asha said she would convene district-level party workers' meetings in all 28 organisational districts in Punjab and would hold the first meeting in Hoshiarpur on July 22.