Turmoil within Cong in Doaba

Deepkamal Kaur

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, January 15

The delayed ticket allocation by the Congress has hit the party in Doaba, where it fared badly in the 2012 elections.

There is unrest in eight of the 23 constituencies in the region — Jalandhar Cantonment, Nakodar, Jalandhar North, Jalandhar West, Bholath, Banga, Balachaur and Garhshankar. With party choosing Pargat Singh from Jalandhar Cantonment, former MLA Jagbir Brar, who was also vying for the ticket, today announced to organise a gathering at Pholariwal tomorrow to decide his course of action.

Former minister Amarjit Singh Samra said, “Rabb rakha Congress da (only God can save the Congress)”, while ex-minister Avtar Henry issued a press note saying: “Opportunist leaders within the party have done so much damage that even the bullets of terrorists were not able to do during black days.”

Even as the party changed its candidate two days ago, replacing Tajinder Bittu with octogenarian former MLA Raj Kumar Gupta in Jalandhar North, the issue has not settled so far. Supporters of Avtar Henry continue to demand the ticket for his son Bawa Henry.

In a letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi, Henry has written: “I upheld the flag of Congress even during the dark days of militancy. The party now does not need such leaders due to which it was giving importance to turncoats, opportunists and those having nothing to do with the party ideology.”

Samra said instead of expelling ex-MLA Gurbinder Atwal, the party announced him as the candidate from Bholath, where he wasted three weeks before giving it up. “In no case, the party should make him contest from Nakodar, or else we will be forced to field our Independent candidates against him,” Samra announced.

The party has not fielded a new candidate from Bholath since Atwal refused to contest from the seat.

Banga MLA Tarlochan Singh Soondh is set to file papers as an Independent from the seat against party candidate Satnam Kainth on January 17.

Amarinder tries to pacify Channi

Chandigarh: In a bid to pacify CLP leader Charanjit Singh Channi, PPCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh will accompany him during the filing of nomination papers at Chamkaur Sahib tomorrow. Upset over the party’s decision to give the ticket to Brinder Singh Dhillon from Ropar Assembly constituency, Channi had yesterday threatened to contest as an Independent from Chamkaur Sahib if Dhillon was not replaced. Amarinder said today, “Being a senior Congress leader, Channi should respect the party high command’s decision regarding ticket allotment.” Though Channi is learnt to have taken up the issue with Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, a senior party leader said the chances of changing Dhillon’s nomination were remote. Rajmeet Singh