OBC leaders of Punjab seek ‘fair’ ticket allocation from PCC chief Navjot Singh Sidhu

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 10

In a meeting with Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Navjot Singh Sidhu, party leaders representing the OBC community have sought due representation in the allocation of ticket for the next Assembly elections.

Besides demanding priority in the civil and police administration, the leaders said the OBC community had been ignored despite the given vote share in the state.

In his first meeting with the OBC leaders, Sidhu held detailed discussions to understand the ground-level bottlenecks in the implementation of welfare schemes for backward classes. He also assured them of meeting them every two months.

Congress working president Sangat Singh Gilzian, nine MLAs, office-bearers and OBC Welfare Cell members also participated in the two-hour-long meeting. Amargarh MLA Surjit Dhiman stressed the implementation of recommendations of the Mandal Commission and due representation to the community.

Ghanaur MLA Mandan Lal Jalalpur said a legislation to start the functioning of Backward Class Commission needed to be passed in the coming session of the Vidhan Sabha. Party leader from Nawanshahr Satvir Phallichiki Dhiman said he had handed over a representation pertaining to demands of OBC to the three-member kharge panel in Delhi.

The party leaders stressed OBC leaders had influence in Anandpur Sahib, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Patiala and Ferozepur parliamentary segments.

Law on backward class panel sought

• Amargarh legislator Surjit Dhiman sought implementation of the Mandal Commission’s recommendations and due representation to the OBC community
• Ghanaur MLA Mandan Lal Jalalpur stressed introduction of a legislation on the Backward Class Commission in the upcoming session of the Vidhan Sabha
• Congress leader Satvir Phallichiki Dhiman said he had handed over a representation on demands of the OBC community to the central leadership in Delhi