Congress finalises 25 more names for Punjab

Aditi Tandon

Tribune News Service 

New Delhi, January 11

The Congress today cleared 25 candidates of the pending 40 in Punjab while still withholding for further discussion names of nominees for 15 segments on account of intense infighting among other issues. The list is expected tomorrow.

Among prominent candidates, whom the Congress central election committee chaired by party chief Sonia Gandhi is learnt to have cleared, are former minister Lal Singh’s son Rajinder Singh from Samana; Lok Sabha MP Santokh Chaudhary’s wife Karamjit Chaudhary from Phillaur, Sirsa Dera chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim’s relative Harminder Jassi from Maur and sitting Ludhiana North MLA Rakesh Pandey from his seat.

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Candidate from Sanaur, where Lal Singh is sitting MLA, has not been finalised yet. From CM Parkash Singh Badal’s Lambi, the party is likely to field Gurmeet Singh Khurian. However, it has kept pending candidate for Jalalabad, from where Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal is in fray.

Joginder Mann may be fielded from Phagwara while Adampur will go to ex-MP Mohinder Kaypee. Tejinder Bittu is the likely nominee from Jalandhar North, Pawan Adhia from Sham Chaurasi, Bhupinder Sidhu from Ludhiana South and K Karwal from Atam Nagar.

Naresh Puri and Joginder Singh may be fielded from Sujanpur and Bhoa, respectively. Harpartap Singh may get Ajnala and Santokh Singh Baba Bakala. The party is undecided on Ludhiana East, Nakodar, Pathankot, Jagraon, Fazilka, Mansa, Garhshankar among others.