Congress relies on its top guns in Punjab

Rajmeet Singh

Chandigarh, May 31

As campaigning came to an end on Thursday evening, ground reports suggest a neck and neck competition for the Congress candidates in Ludhiana, Anandpur Sahib and Jalandhar against its adversaries. The party is, however, hopeful of having a clear edge in Patiala, Gurdaspur, and Amritsar.

The party has fielded its top guns — PPCC Chief, Raja Warring; former CM Charanjit Channi and a former Deputy CM Sukhjinder Randhawa — which might pay off. Dr Dharamvira Gandhi, Sukhjinder Randhawa, and GS Aujla have been fielded from Patiala, Gurdaspur and Amritsar respectively. However, in Jalandhar, Channi is facing tough competition from AAP candidate Pawan Kumar Tinu.

The party has fielded PPCC Chief Amarinder Raja Warring, former minister Vijay Inder Singla and former CM Charanjit Channi from Ludhiana, Anandpur Sahib and Jalandhar, respectively.

Warring claimed that going by the response, the party would emerge as the single largest party in the results for the Punjab parliamentary polls. In Hoshiarpur and Sangrur, AAP candidates Dr Raj Kumar Chabbewal and Meet Hayer respectively, are learnt to have advantage over Congress candidates, Yamini Gomar and Sukhpal Khaira.

Party analysts feel that the main contest has emerged between Congress and AAP on 10 to 11 seats. Party sources said in Ludhiana, Warring was facing tough competition from AAP candidate Ashok Prashar. Initially, the competition seemed to between Warring and BJP candidate Ravneet Bittu.