All well, consensus on most candidates: Navjot Singh Sidhu

Tribune News Service

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New Delhi, January 5

The Congress screening committee for Punjab elections met for the second time in two days today with state unit president Navjot Sidhu saying there was consensus on a majority of the candidates to be fielded in the upcoming Assembly poll and talks were cordial.

“The meetings are taking place in a very positive environment. All is well. The Congress will win. There is consensus on a majority of the candidates,” said Sidhu, a day after four Punjab ministers met AICC general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal, asking him to rein in the cricketer-turned-politician.

Sources said the ministers had flagged some of the state chief’s unilateral announcements, including the ones on some candidates and cash incentive for women.

After the screening panel meeting today, Sidhu looked upbeat saying all meetings were happening in a cordial atmosphere. Committee chairman Ajay Maken said most of the seats had been finalised with consensus. The Tribune has learnt there’s clarity and agree ment on 70 candidates. Maken skirted queries on how many sitting MLAs of the 80 would be dropped. “Winnability is the criterion and we will also field fresh faces,” he said.

Youth Congress chief BV Srinivas also met the panel to forward the names of youth candidates for the elections. The committee will meet once more before sending the shortlist to the AICC central election committee, which will approve the final candidates. Congress president Sonia Gandhi heads the CEC, of which Rahul Gandhi is also a member. Rahul is abroad and his return is awaited even as the SAD and the AAP have announced most of the candidates.

70 names ‘finalised’

• Consensus on 70 of the 117 candidates, it is learnt
• Congress has 80 MLAs; new faces may be fielded
• No word yet on whether some sitting MLAs will be dropped