With less than a month left for the Punjab assembly elections, the Congress is still facing challenges in the campaign trail with the announcement of candidates triggering a squabble within the state unit.
The party seems to be facing a major discontent with candidates on all but nine seats. Not only does a section of party leaders have questioned the party high command over the allocation of tickets but there is anger over relaxation of the ‘one family, one ticket’ rule.
Leaders such as Vikram Bajwa (son-in-law of Rajinder Kaur Bhattal), Jaswinder Dhiman (son of MLA Surjit Dhiman), Vikram Chaudhary (son of MP Santokh Singh), Smit Singh (nephew of PPCC Chief Navjot Singh Sidhu), Kamil Amar Singh (son of MP Dr Amar Singh) and Mohit Mohindra (son of senior leader Brahm Mohindra) found their names in the second list of candidates.
Mohindra though has reportedly declined to contest due to health reasons, his son has been given the ticket is what senior Punjab Congress leaders claim.
Tript Bajwa and Rana Gurjeet had also been seeking tickets for their sons. Being denied a ticket, Gurjeet’s son will now contest as an Independent. A strong contender from Youth Congress in Sunam, Dhaman Bajwa, who has been denied the party ticket, had the backing of chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi. But Navjot Singh Sidhu ensured that the ticket from Sunam was given to Jaswinder Dhiman, son of sitting Amargarh MLA Surjit Singh Dhiman, as the PPCC chief wanted to get ticket for his nephew and close aide Smit Singh. Smit’s father, Dhanwant Singh, is a former MLA from Dhuri.
Another senior leader Jagmohan Singh Kang, who has been denied ticket from Kharar, has openly rebelled. On a day when party leader Rahul Gandhi is in the state, Kang has levelled serious allegations against leaders such as CM Channi, alleging he wanted his loyalist to contest so that he could get involved in land deals. Kang, has, however, said he would ask the Congress to reconsider its decision and given the party an ultimatum till January 31, following which he would decide on the further course of action.
The Congress, however, is yet to announce candidates for Patiala (Urban), from where Captain Amarinder Singh is contesting, Jalalabad, Nawanshahr, Attari, Barnala, Bhadaur, Khem Kharan and Ludhiana (south).
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