Congress looks to pit Warring against Bittu in Ludhiana

Rajmeet Singh

Chandigarh, April 28

Amid final discussions in the central election committee last night to finalise the candidates for the remaining five seats in the state, the party is keen on fielding a strong candidate against BJP candidate Ravneet Bittu, the sitting Ludhiana MP, who recently left the Congress to join the BJP.

The party adopted the same strategy by fielding Sukhpal Khaira from Sangrur, the home turf of CM Bhagwant Mann, and former CM Charanjit Channi from Jalandhar. The five seats are Ferozepur, Khadoor Sahib, Ludhiana, Gurdaspur, and Anandpur Sahib.

Even the official announcement of the candidates for the five seats is awaited, sources said Dera Baba Nanak MLA Sukhjinder Randhawa was conveyed that the party was keen to field him from Gurdaspur. It was also pointed out that senior leaders like PPCC chief Amrinder Raja Warring and CLP leader Partap Singh Bajwa should be fielded. The name of the PPCC chief, a Jat Sikh, figured at the meeting and the party is likely to pitch him against Bittu from Ludhiana. Otherwise, former Cabinet Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu’s name was under consideration for Ludhiana.

The candidature of son of Congress leader Rana Gurjeet Singh and independent Sultanpur Lodhi MLA Rana Inder Partap Singh for the Khadoor Sahib is almost clear. Former Zila MLA Kulbir Zira could be the second choice for Khadoor Sahib.

Rana Gurjeet held a meeting with senior leaders from Anandpur Sahib to push for his candidature from the seat. However, the party high command was said to be in favour of former Cabinet Minister Vijay Inder Singla, a former MP from Sangrur, for the seat. He is presently holding key post in AICC.

The names under consideration for the Anandpur Sahib seats include Rana KP, former Speaker and Vijay Inder Singla, former minister.

For the Ferozepur seat, the name of former MP Sher Singh Ghubaya was under consideration.