Zail Singh not to contest

From Our Special Correspondent

NEW Delhi, May 13 –Mr Zail Singh, former Chief Minister of Punjab, has decided not to contest the election to the Punjab Assembly. He will, however, campaign for Congress candidates, it is reliably learnt.

Part VI Election series :  Punjab Assembly Elections — 1977

• Anti-Emergency wave drowns Congress
• Badal Sworn In As Chief Minister
• 15 Punjab Ministers Sworn In
• PLUMS OF OFFICE-Editorial on June 28, 1977
• Haryana, Punjab to go to polls on June 12
• Zail Singh not to contest
• Mrs. Gandhi Not to Go Campaigning
• Ignoring Of Women In Punjab List Regrettable -CHANDRA SHEKHAR
• Punjab To Have Over 9,200 Polling Stations
• Akali Bid to win over Independents
• Results on June 14
• Polling In Low Key In Punjab
• Punjab goes to poll today
• Badal Outlines Austerity Steps
• Akalis On Verge Of Absolute Majority

He made this position clear at a meeting of the Punjab Congress Steering Committee engaged in the selection of party candidates, here today under the chairmanship of Dr S D Sharma, AICC Observer for Punjab.

The Convener of the committee, Mr M S Gill, PPCC chief and Mr Swaran Singh, member of the Congress Working Committee, were among those present at the meeting.

LUDHIANA (FOC): Mr. S. P. Mittal, General Secretary, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, when asked if Mr Zail Singh would also contest the election, replied: “Obviously he cannot be excluded from the list.”  He added that no decision had yet been taken about the constituency of Mr Zail Singh.

He said that the former President of the Amritsar District Congress Committee had been asked to hand over the charge of the office to the newly appointed adhoc committee.