Congress fields Punjab CM Charanjit Channi from Bhadaur too, ex-Mayor to fight Capt Amarinder in Patiala Urban

Tribune News Service

Aditi Tandon

New Delhi, January 30

On the eve of the last day of nomination filing in Punjab, the Congress on Sunday released the third list of eight candidates fielding Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi from a second seat—Bhadaur reserved segment—and former Patiala Mayor Vishnu Sharma against former CM Amarinder Singh in Patiala.

Channi is also defending his current seat Chamkaur Sahib, which he has represented thrice in the state Assembly. Bhadaur is an Assembly segment in Sangrur parliamentary constituency, which AAP’s CM candidate Bhagwant Mann represents.

Bhadaur falls in Malwa, where the Congress is seeking to make an impact with Channi’s nomination. AAP had held sway in Malwa region in 2017 poll.

The Congress has also fielded former Union Minister and incumbent AICC treasurer Pawan Kumar Bansal’s son Manish from Barnala. Former MLA Kewal Dhillon had been keen on contesting from this seat.

In Patiala, the party has chosen Vishnu Sharma to take on Captain Amarinder.

AICC sources said a decision was taken not to bend the “one family, one ticket” rule for Patiala, where former minister Lal Singh and sitting minister Brahm Mohindra were among the probables apart from Sharma, as reported by The Tribune two days ago.

Sons of Mohindra and Lal Singh have already been fielded on Congress ticket — Mohit Mohindra from Patiala Rural, the segment Brahm Mohindra currently holds, and Rajinder Singh (the sitting MLA) from Samana. The Congress has retained MLA Sukhpal Bhullar in Khem Karan despite objections of former state unit president Sunil Jakhar.

Three sitting legislators have been dropped from the final list — Jalalabad MLA Raminder Singh Awla; Attari MLA Tarsem DC and Nawanshahr MLA Angad Saini. In Jalalabad, a stronghold of SAD chief Sukhbir Badal, new face Mohan Singh Phalianwala has been fielded. Nawanshahr MLA Angad Saini is married to Rae Bareli MLA Aditi Singh, who recently quit the Congress to join the BJP in UP and dared Sonia Gandhi, the sitting MP from Rae Bareli.

In Saini’s place, the Congress has fielded Satbir Singh Saini, who had earlier joined Amarinder Singh’s Punjab Lok Congress. He has been rewarded for returning to the Congress.

Ludhiana South nomination has gone to Ishwarjot Singh Cheema. The segment is currently held by Balwinder Singh Bains of the Lok Insaaf Party who has represented this seat twice.

The Congress has played safe, dropping only 10 MLAs in all — four in the first list of 86 candidates, three in the second list of 23 and three in the third list of eight candidates.

Party seeks workers’ feedback on CM face

The Congress on Sunday began consultations with party leaders and workers on the issue of CM face in Punjab amid indications of CM Charanjit Singh Channi leading the race. The party has also sought feedback of workers on its internal app called “Shakti”.

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