Flood of aspirants for Cong ticket in Muktsar, party in fix
Archit Watts
Tribune News Service
Muktsar, December 31
The district Congress leadership is in a catch-22 situation as a large number of party workers has applied for the ticket in the forthcoming municipal council elections.
Around 130 party workers have applied from 27 wards in Malout. There are five aspirants for the Congress ticket in each ward in Gidderbaha. The situation is almost similar in Muktsar.
It has become difficult for the party to allocate tickets. “For the past one week, we have been receiving applications from aspirants. About 130 people have applied to date. More applications are expected in three days. We will first prepare a merit list and then the leadership will allocate ticket to winnable candidates,” said Nathu Ram Gandhi, Malout block president.
On his part, Deepak Garg, Gidderbaha block president, said: “In 19 wards, we have 60 aspirants. In such a situation, we are conducting two surveys to see the winnability of potential candidates. One such survey is being conducted by us at the local level and the other by MLA Amrinder Singh Raja Warring.”
In Muktsar town, former MLA Karan Kaur Brar is holding meetings with party activists to finalise the names of candidates.
A ticket aspirant said: “It is our right to seek the party ticket. The denial of ticket will certainly result in rebellion insome wards. The party should allocate ticket on the basis of winnabilit and not proximity to a certain group.
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There’s little doubt that Nancy Pelosi will be reelected House Speaker when the new Congress convenes Sunday. It could take a high-wire act for her to get there, largely thanks to the pandemic.
The only woman in history to serve as Speaker, the California Democrat has a reputation of a formidable vote-counter and wily deal-cutter.
Those skills have helped her fend off threats and cement her as leader of her party in the House since 2003, and seem likely to carry the day on January 3, when the Constitution requires the new Congress to begin. “Yeah, I do,” Pelosi told a reporter this week when asked if she had the votes wrapped up.
In what seemed an indication of confidence, Pelosi told reporters Wednesday that Rep.-elect Mariannette Miller-Meeks, R-Iowa, will be sworn in, even as Democratic opponent Rita Hart’s challenge to the election results remains under review by the House. Miller-Meeks is certain to vote against Pelosi to be Speaker. Even so, the terrain Pelosi faces will allow almost no margin for error. — AP
Skills that count
The California Democrat has a reputation of a formidable vote-counter and wily deal-cutter
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