Punjab poll candidates: First meeting of Sonia led CEC on January 13

Aditi Tandon
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, January 11

Congress president Sonia Gandhi-led central election committee of the party will meet on January 13 evening to finalise candidates for the upcoming Punjab elections. 

The meeting of the CEC has been scheduled upon the return of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who has gone abroad. 

He returned Monday and has resumed election strategy meetings.

AICC sources said the Punjab CEC might release the first list on Thursday after a virtual meeting chaired by Sonia Gandhi. Punjab Congress campaign committee chairman Sunil Jakhar, who is abroad currently, could join virtually. 

There is consensus on nearly 70 candidates, said a source adding that a call would have to be taken on how many sitting MLAs are to be dropped to offset anti-incumbency trends.  

The party has short-listed candidates with “one family-one ticket rule” in mind.

Punjab Congress leaders meanwhile said the party’s candidate list is behind schedule with SAD and AAP contestants having already hit the ground running.

The Congress however appears to be in no rush to declare the candidates. It is aware that the Amarinder Singh led outfit and the BJP are waiting in the wings to poach disgruntled leaders and sitting MLAs who are denied tickets.