Congress dissidents yet to start campaigning for candidates

PK Jaiswar

Amritsar, February 14

Even after efforts of the Congress’ Ludhiana MP and the party election management committee chairman, Ravneet Bittu, ‘disgruntled’ leaders are not campaigning for party’s candidates from Amritsar East, Amritsar North and Majitha constituencies.

This has dented prospects of the Congress candidates’ as the base of the Opposition parties is getting stronger with each passing day. Besides, the Congress is also facing anti-incumbency factor.

The Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president and sitting MLA, Navjot Singh Sidhu, is contesting from Amritsar East while the sitting MLA, Sunil Datti, is fighting from Amritsar North. Jagwinderpal Singh Jagga, brother of former senior Congress leader Sukhjinder Singh Lalli Majithia, is standing from Majitha.

Earlier, Bittu held a close- door meeting with former Amritsar Improvement Trust chairman Dinesh Bassi, besides meeting city Mayor Karamjit Singh Rintu, District Congress Committee president Ashwani Pappu and district planning board chairman Raj Kanwal Preetpal Singh Lucky.

Bassi, who was considered close to former CM Capt Amarinder Singh, was removed as the Improvement Trust chairman after Sidhu became the PPCC president. Bassi has been working in the Amritsar East constituency. He was present in canvassing for the sitting MLA from Amritsar South, Inderbir Singh Bolaria. He maintained that he was a loyal soldier of the Congress and working for the party candidate.

Ashwani Pappu, an aspirant from Amritsar North ticket, was campaigning for other party leaders, but Sunil Datti, who had already expressed his displeasure with the Congress high command over this. Rintu and Lucky have also not started campaigning in Datti’s favour. Rintu had contested twice from the Amritsar North constituency.

The District Congress rural president, Bhagwant Pal Singh Sachchar, was seeking ticket from Majitha. Following denial of ticket, he resigned from the party and joined the BJP. A day later, he came back to the Congress after Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and Cabinet Minister Sukhbinder Singh Sukh Sarkaria intervened.

A senior party leader wishing not to be named, said there was no denying the fact that the situation had become tough with the division of votes. “AAP’s support base has increased while the SAD and the BJP have parted ways and are contesting separately with new alliance partners,” he added.