‘One family one ticket’ criterion brought desired results for Cong
Saturday, 18/03/2017
http://epaper.dailypostindia.com/Details.aspx?id=174906&boxid=58334&uid=&dat=2017-03-18
Chandigarh : The “One family one ticket’ criteria strictly implemented by Punjab Congress while distributing tickets to senior party leaders have shown overwhelming results (77 seats) despite helping Capt Amarinder Singh containing trouble shooters.
Strictly adhering with the criteria in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha elections, Captain Amarinder Singh has succeeded in killing ‘two birds with one stone,’ opine political pundits. They elaborate that the criteria has not only commended by the electorate in a big way but also helped clipping the wings of the leaders of opponent faction.
The way is smother for Capt. Amarinder Singh, this time against his previous tenure, as main party stalwarts including Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, former Chief Minister, Sunil Jakhar, former leader of opposition in Punjab Vidhan Sabha, former Punjab Congress chief Partap Singh Bajwa, will no more be in this cabinet of ministers. Bhattal and Jakhar lost the elections while Bajwa is representing the state in Central political.
Punjab Congress vice president Lal Singh, is also not there as his son Rajinder Singh was elected from Samana.
Senior Congress leader and former minister Gurchet Singh Bhullar, who contested successfully from Khem Karan this time, was the first person for raising voice against the “One family one ticket’ criteria. He was seeking tickets for his sons from Khemkaran and Tarn Taran, respectively. Then it was Amrik Singh Dhillon, who was seeking party tickets for his son and grandson from Samrala. The party chose Amrik Singh and he won the elections.
Other leaders who were affected by this decision include, Rajya Sabha member Partap Singh Bajwa, former PPCC Chief Shamsher Singh Dullo, Ludhiana MP Ravneet Singh Bittu and former Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal.
Captain however, has also make his family members- wife Rani Perneet Kaur and son Raninder Singh - to step down.
Bajwa wanted Vidhan Sabha tickets for his younger brother Fateh Jang Singh and wife Charanjit Kaur. Dullo wanted a ticket for his wife Harbans Kaur too. Ravneet Bittu, from assassinated former CM Beant Singh’s family, was seeking ticket, for his cousin Gurkirat Singh Kotli who was a sitting MLA from Khanna.
Bhattal, apart from herself, wanted another ticket for her son-in-law Varinder Singh Bajwa. Similarly, Member Parliament from Jalandhar Santokh Singh Chaudhary wanted ticket for his son Vikram Chaudhary, a former president of Punjab Youth Congress. Senior Congress leader Rana Gurjit Singh, MLA Khadoor Sahib has been seeking party ticket for this wife Rajbansh Kaur, a former MLA, Kapurthala.
Only one the Sidhu couple, former MP Navjot Singh Sidhu could get party ticket. His MLA wife Dr. Navjot Kaur Sidhu had to sacrifice the seat for him.
Bajwa’s brother Fatehjang Singh Bajwa was elected from Qadian, former Jalandhar MP Mohinder Singh Kay Pee, lost from Adampur. He was seeking ticket for wife from Jalandhar, while sitting Jalandhar MP Santokh Singh Chaudahry got ticket for son Vikram Singh Chaudhary who lost from Phillaur seat.
