‘One family, one ticket’ norm kicks up row

Rajmeet Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 3

Following reports that Congress leader Lal Singh, a ticket applicant from Sanaur, is also seeking the ticket for his son Rajinder Singh from Samana, Vikram Bajwa, son-in-law of party candidate from Lehra Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, has demanded a clarification on the ‘one family, one ticket’ norm in the case of the extended family.

Citing two cases where first cousins have been given ticket or are serious contenders for it, Bajwa has staked the claim for the Sahnewal seat. He has also applied from Ludhiana (East). Vikram Bajwa has claimed that giving the ticket to him won’t violate the norm.

Picking Lal Singh’s son from Samana will go against the “one family, one ticket” stand of PPCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh. Amarinder is backing Harinderpal Mann from there. Satwinder Kaur Bitti, who joined the Congress few months ago, is reportedly being backed by Amarinder for the Sahnewal seat.

Deepinder Singh Dhillon, who is likely to be nominated from Dera Bassi, and Kushaldeep Singh Dhillon, candidate from Muktsar, are first cousins. The candidate from Kartarpur reserved seat, Chaudhary Surender Singh, son of late Chaudhary Jagjit Singh, is the first cousin of Vikram Chaudhary (son of MP Santokh Chaudhary). He is in the race for the Phillaur seat.

A senior leader said giving the ticket to Lal Singh and his son could be an exception.