Congress placates those not on list

Rajmeet Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 9

Sensing trouble, the Punjab Congress leadership today started placating ticket aspirants, whose name does not figure in the first list of candidates cleared yesterday by the Central Election Committee (CEC).

Before making the list public, the leadership led by state party chief Capt Amarinder Singh and Congress general secretary Ambika Soni has been asked to mollify those who did not make the cut.

Not wanting a repeat of the 2012 Assembly elections when 37 rebels had fought against party’s candidates, the leadership began the damage-control exercise so that the numbers of rebels could be restricted.

“More than the newcomers, the party is worried about the annoyance of ticket aspirants in the party. Members of the screening committee are expected to meet them before the next CEC meeting to settle the matter on seats where there is disagreement on the choice of candidates,” said a leader.

In Ajnala, Gurdaspur, Dera Baba Nanak, Pathankot, Amritsar South, Amritsar East, Sujanpur, Jalandhar Cantt, Ludhiana East, Gill, Sahnewal, Dhaka, Bathinda Urban, Samana, Sunam and Mansa, two to three contenders can puncture the prospects of the party’s candidate, sources said.

As the Congress has almost decided to field Pargat Singh from Jalandhar Cantt, Jagbir Singh Bar — who is a ticket aspirant from the seat — would have to be placated. He had contested the 2012 elections on Congress ticket.

To allow Manpreet Badal contest from Bathinda Urban, other ticket aspirants Chiranji Lal Garg, Harminder Singh Jassi and Surinder Singla would have to be placated. Besides, some ticket aspirants in Ludhiana East have opposed the candidature of Manish Tewari.