Congmen want Ferozepur ticket given to senior leader

Rajmeet Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 26

As SAD chief Sukhbir Badal is expected to contest from Ferozepur, senior Congress leaders today batted for putting up a heavyweight from the seat, traditionally an Akali bastion.

With the candidature of Akali-turned-Congressman Sher Singh Ghubaya nearly ruled out in the wake of the changed political scenario, consensus is emerging in the party to field a political heavyweight.

Rajya Sabha MP Partap Singh Bajwa on Tuesday said Ferozepur was Sunil Jakhar’s home turf and Gurdaspur his (Bajwa’s). “The elections are crucial for the Congress. Therefore, party heavyweights must prove their mettle,” he said.

While Ferozepur (Urban) MLA Parminder Pinki supports the candidature of Jakhar from Ferozepur, former PPCC chief Shamsher Sigh Dullo said a local heavyweight should be preferred.

Jakhar, however, has been consistently saying that he wants to contest from Gurdsapur. Talking in context of the 2014 parliamentary elections when he had lost the Ferozepur seat to then SAD candidate Ghubaya, Jakhar said, “I do not hold pride unlike Sukhbir Badal, who is holding to his position despite a poor performance in the 2017 Assembly polls. I have won with a record margin in the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha byelection.”

Basing the logic on the vote share of Hindus (32 per cent), Jat Sikhs (26 per cent) and SC and Rai Sikhs (26 per cent), leaders like Anish Sidana, Mohinder Rinwa, Hans Raj Josan are seeking a Hindu face, while opposing the candidature of Ghubaya. Sidana, who has also staked claim to the seat, said he was ready to take on Sukhbir Badal. Cabinet minister Rana Gurmeet Sodhi, who is also aspiring for the Ferozepur seat, is also opposing the re-nomination of Ghubaya.

Meanwhile, Congress sources said with the state screening committee scheduled to meet on March 28, the process to shortlist candidates would gain momentum. The meeting of the Central Election Committee has been scheduled for April 2, indicating that some of the seats can be announced thereafter.

‘Minimum income plan to be game-changer’ 

Chandigarh: State Congress chief Sunil Jakhar on Tuesday claimed that the Congress' minimum income guarantee promise would be a ‘groundbreaking’ anti-poverty measure that would benefit five crore families and 25 crore people directly. “The amount to be spent on the scheme for the benefit of the downtrodden is better than waiving loans of big corporate houses,” he said. Talking in context on the BJP playing up its nationalist agenda, he claimed that the RSS or the BJP had no contribution to the freedom movement, whereas the contribution of Congress leaders could not be ignored.