3-member panel meets Devendra Yadav, Raja Warring, Partap Singh Bajwa over shortlisting of candidates

Rajmeet Singh

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Chandigarh, February 12

The AICC-appointed screening committee today began the process to shortlist the potential candidates for the 13 parliamentary seats in the state.

Led by party leader Bhakta Charan Dass, the three-member committee held its first meeting with Punjab affairs in-charge Devendra Yadav, PPCC Chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring and CLP leader Partap Singh Bajwa at the Punjab Congress Bhavan here.

Discussions were held on all 13 seats with the Warring and Bajwa giving their recommendations on some of the seats. The screening committee also went through recommendations given by the 27-member Punjab Pradesh Election Committee. Some leaders also met the screening committee to stake their claim.

“Ranging from three to five names for each seat, a docket of the potential candidates has been prepared. Several rounds of discussions followed by party surveys would give shape to the final list of candidates before it goes to the central election committee,” said a senior PPCC leader.

Sources said that senior state leadership had reservations against renominating some of the MPs in Majha and Malwa areas, as a result there could be seat swapping or entry of some fresh faces. Party leaders apprehend that on being denied ticket, the AAP could poach at least two sitting party MPs, where it does not have any potential candidate.

“Keeping in mind the 2027 assembly elections, the state leadership is relying on the recommendations of senior state leaders who are opposed to some of the sitting MPs as in case of Amritsar and Ludhiana.

The sources further said that the most important task for the screening committee was to decide upon the six sitting MPs. “An internal survey carried by the state units indicated that all MPs were not in a position to win and so the party could have to drop or swap some of the candidates. It will be clear over the next two weeks,” said a senior party leader.

The party will be soon inviting applications on payment of certain amount of fee from the shortlisted candidates. Discussions to invite the applications were held in today’s screening committee meeting.

Reservations against some MPs

Senior state leadership have reservations against renominating some of the MPs in Majha and Malwa areas, as a result there could be seat swapping or entry of some fresh faces. Party leaders apprehend that on being denied ticket, AAP could poach at least two sitting party MPs.