Aspirants begin vying for Congress ticket from Ambala seats

Nitish Sharma

Ambala, June 10

High on confidence after the party’s recent performance in the Lok Sabha election in Ambala City constituency, Congress aspirants have started staking claim on the party ticket for the Assembly election and showing their strength.

The aspirants are holding meetings with their loyalists and supporters to start campaigning in the constituency to strengthen their base and cement their claims on the ticket.

Former minister Nirmal Singh, Himmat Singh, Rohit Jain, Jasbir Mallour and Mithun Verma are some of the leaders who have been eyeing ticket Congress from the City constituency.

Nirmal Singh has already announced that he would contest the election and started his gratitude programmes. He has announced a big rally in August.

Addressing his supporters, Nirmal Singh said, “I will contest the election and there is no confusion in it. Other people will also seek party ticket and they have the right too, but they have to show on the ground that they can win the election. We have cleared the tests and surveys of the party.”

A Sikh face of the party in Ambala, Himmat Singh, who had contested the 2014 Assembly election, has also announced to run an awareness drive in Ambala City as part of his outreach programme to develop personal contact with the voters.

Himmat, who is also eyeing the party ticket, also held a meeting with his supporters to chalk out a plan to start preparations for the Assembly election. “We held a meeting to start preparations for the election and identify the issues that we will be raising during campaigning. We are analysing all the booths and pockets where the performance of the party was not according to expectations. All the leaders have the right to stake claim on the ticket. We will raise local issues and prepare a manifesto after taking suggestions from the people of Ambala.”

Meanwhile, the newly elected Ambala MP, Varun Chaudhry, on Sunday expressed gratitude to party workers at a programme. It was organised in Ambala Cantonment by Congress leader Chitra Sarwara, who is a strong contender for party ticket from Ambala Cantonment constituency.

Addressing party workers, Varun Chaudhry said, “The credit of the victory goes to the leaders and workers of Congress who worked hard in the field despite scorching heat. The way I have strongly raised the voice of Mullana Assembly constituency in the Haryana Assembly, I will raise the voice of Ambala Lok Sabha constituency in Parliament too. We will make sincere efforts and win the Assembly election too.”