'Consensus' on 60 seats, Punjab Congress list of candidates by Dec-end

Chandigarh, December 17

With his two key demands of replacing the DGP and AG having been addressed, an upbeat Navjot Singh Sidhu interacted with former PCC chiefs and ministers on the sidelines of the Ajay Maken-headed screening committee meeting here today.

Sources in the party said as consensus had been reached on at least 60 seats, mostly sitting MLAs, the first list of the candidates could be out by December-end.

Deputy Home Minister Sukhjinder Randhawa along with ministers Brahm Mohindra, Sukhbinder Sarkaria, Aruna Chaudhary and OP Soni met Maken at the Congress Bhavan. Former PCC chief Shamsher Singh Dullo and HS Hanspal, besides Lal Singh, Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and other leaders also called on him. Maken will be meeting party leaders till December 19. Though Randhawa deflected questions on the replacement of the DGP, the political buzz was that Sahota was replaced as there was political pressure from different quarters to act against the Badals. — TNS