Cong clears last 3 names for Punjab polls; denies ticket to Manish Tewari

Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, January 17

In a shock move today, the Congress ignored the ticket claim of former union minister Manish Tewari from Ludhiana by nominating local councillor Sanjay Talwar as official nominee from Ludhiana East.

Tewari had staked his claim from the segment though the Congress has all along maintained that Tewari didn't apply for a ticket.

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In the final and fifth list of candidates for the three remaining seats issued today, the Congress also named former Akali leader and sitting MLA Inderbir Boleria as a candidate from Amritsar South, the segment he currently represents in Punjab Assembly.

Boleria was selected over local Congressman JS Dimpa, who may declare revolt.

From Mansa, the Congress has declined the claim of Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh's aide BIS Chahal's son to nominate one Manju Bansal.

Bansal may also trouble the Congress with social media full of AAP's campaigning against her husband, who was earlier convicted for seven years in a case of graft.

Denial of a seat to former Ludhiana MP Tewari comes at the behest of sitting MP Ravneet Bittu, who argued that the ex-minister's nomination would disturb the balance of power in Ludhiana, where several sitting legislators and councillors are hoping for ministerial positions should the Congress come to power.

Tewari didn't comment immediately but sources close to him said "there will be hell to pay, wait and see."

The Congress, meanwhile, said Tewari would be represented in a senior AICC role shortly, but Tewari when contacted said no one had spoken to him.

With today's list, the Congress has declared all 117 seats.

Three high-profile leaders who joined from other parties, including ex-Akalis Boleria and Pargat Singh, and ex-BJP leader Navjot Singh Sidhu, have got the Congress tickets.