Delay in Cong tickets disappoints aspirants

Sunday, 04/12/2016

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Chandigarh : Congress ticket seekers for Punjab elections were dismayed today when the party postponed the declaration of candidates to another date.

The Central Election Committee (CEC) of the Congress met under the chairmanship of Sonia Gandhi, the national president.

Though Sonia presided over the meeting despite bad health, and cleared the first list of over 64 candidates, sources disclosed, following opinion from the senior congress leaders, the list was held back. It was decided that a single list of 117 candidates be released after the second meeting of the CEC scheduled for December 8.

On Saturday, Sonia presided over the meeting attended by Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee chief Capt Amarinder Singh, Punjab Election incharge Asha Kumari, CLP leader Charanjit Singh Channi, Ambika Soni at formers’ residence at 11 am.

The Screening Committee led by Ashok Gahlot, former Rajasthan CM, will hold another rounds to finalise the rest candidates and will present the second list in the CEC to be chaired by Sonia on December 8, it is leant.

Names of almost all sitting legislatures have been cleared in the first list including Capt Amarinder Singh, Charanjit Singh Channi, Sunil Jakhar, Rana Gurmit Sodhi, Rana Gurjit Singh, Fateh Jung Bajwa, Tripta Rajinder Singh Bajwa, and some others.

Former Punjab Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, willing to shift her constituency, has been asked to contest from Lehraghaga constituency only. Former Alaki leader and founder of People’s Party of Punjab supremo Manpreet Singh Badal, who joined Congress over a year ago, has not applied for a ticket.

The names of turncoats including Inderbir Singh Bolaria, Swaran Singh Phillaurm and some others who had joined the Congress unconditionally, sources disclosed, are in the second list of ticket aspirants. Former PPCC presidents, Partap Singh Bajwa, Shamsher Singh Dullo and their group members are objecting to allocation of tickets to them.

The Youth Congress leaders are also demanding adequate tickets where the Punjab Congress has proposed the names of weaker candidates, it is learnt. It is learnt that the Congress high command has directed the Punjab Congress leaders not only to show a joint face but also strengthen and support the candidates to be fielded in all 117 assembly constituencies to form Government with a full majority.