In Cong’s fourth list, Channi could not exert influence

CHANDIGARH: When will former BJP leader Navjot Singh Sidhu join the Congress? This continues to be an unresolved puzzle, as the fourth list of the party saw the party leadership adjusting candidates of three power centres — Capt Amarinder Singh, Partap Singh Bajwa and Ambika Soni.

Rajmeet Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 13

When will former BJP leader Navjot Singh Sidhu join the Congress? This continues to be an unresolved puzzle, as the fourth list of the party saw the party leadership adjusting candidates of three power centres — Capt Amarinder Singh, Partap Singh Bajwa and Ambika Soni.

At the same time, the fourth emerging power centre, Congress Legislative Party (CLP) leader Charanjit Singh Channi — a confidant of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi — has been left high and dry. He was supporting the candidature of Namsiha Mehta from Garshankar) and Vijay Kumar Tinku from Ropar. Both have not been considered.

Ticket-seekers from Ropar — Sukhwinder Whisky and Tinku — could influence voting in Channi’s constituency (Chamkaur Sahib). The CLP leader pleaded their case strongly in the screening committee and Central Election Committee meetings, it has been learnt.

Today’s list features two candidates of Ambika Soni – Barinder Dhillon (Ropar) and Luv Kumar Goldy (Garhshankar) — and three candidates of Amarinder — Amit Singh Manto (Sujanpur), Satwinder Kaur Bitti (Sahnewal) and Sunil Datti (Amritsar North). Manto had the support of Bajwa as well.

The third list of Congress candidates that was released yesterday saw Amarinder managing to secure ticket for former Akali leaders, who recently joined the Congress.

To field prominent faces in Lambi, Jalalabad?

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi is reportedly keen on giving a tough fight to CM Parkash Singh from Lambi and Sukhbir Singh Badal from Jalalabad. The party has started looking for prominent faces, including MPs, who could take on the Akali stalwarts. AAP has already fielded Sangrur MP Bhagwant Mann from Jalalabad and Delhi MLA Jarnail Singh from Lambi. A senior Congress leader dismissed the chance of fielding Navjot Singh Sidhu against any of two Akali heavyweights. The nominees from the two seats could be declared after January 17. Congress’ Gurmeet Singh Khudian is one of the ticket-seekers from Lambi. Ludhiana MP Ravneet Bittu’s name is being considered from Jalalabad and Partap Singh Bajwa’s from Lambi.