Congress eyeing post-poll pact with AAP in Punjab

Rajmeet Singh

Chandigarh, January 23

From stiff opposition to any pre-poll alliance with AAP in Punjab under the INDIA bloc, the discussion among state leaders has now been shifted to post-poll arrangements.

The argument given by the leaders is that being the principal opposition party in the state, it will be political suicide to go for an alliance with the ruling dispensation as it will harm the grand old party, besides creating confusion among the rank and file.

Sidhu, Channi on election panel

The AICC has constituted 27-member Punjab Pradesh Election Committee headed by Amrinder Raja Warring and Navjot Sidhu as its members. Other members include Partap Bajwa, Charanjit Channi, besides MPs and others

“Everyone knows that the INDIA bloc exists and seat sharing is happening in some states. But in Punjab, we have opposed the seat-sharing alliance due to multiple factors. The meeting between party leader Pawan Bansal and AAP MP Raghav Chadha did not go well in the Punjab party circle. We should contest all 13 seats and show our worth by winning the maximum seats. Under the INDIA bloc, post-poll alliance can always happen,” said a former PCC chief.

“It will be the litmus test for the Congress as to how it has performed as the Opposition,” feel many leaders.

Refusing to comment on the seat sharing or post-poll alliance, PCC chief Amrinder Raja Warring said everyone would abide by the decision of the party high command. “We have conveyed the feelings of party workers to the party high command,” he said.

In a preliminary assessment carried out by the state unit, it feels it will be able to perform better in Majha and Doaba regions, compared to Malwa. It will also cater to the interest of the many senior Congressmen, who are eyeing their traditional seats. While the sitting six MPs are keen to recontest, discussion on seat swapping of some candidates or fielding new faces are underway, it is learnt. Punjab affairs in-charge Devendra Yadav is already in Punjab to hold parliamentary-level worker meetings over the next three days.