Internal divisions surface in Chandigarh Congress ahead of Lok Sabha elections

Supporters of both Pawan Bansal and HS Lucky raised slogans in their favour at a meeting chaired by All India Congress Committee in-charge Rajeev Shukla

Amid preparations for the Lok Sabha elections on June 1, internal divisions have surfaced within the Congress party in Chandigarh.

All India Congress Committee in-charge Rajeev Shukla addressing a meeting of party workers at Rajiv Gandhi Congress Bhawan in Sector 35, Chandigarh. He clarified that he was in the city only to engage with local leaders and the Chandigarh candidate will be announced soon. (Keshav Singh/HT)

On Wednesday, internal wrangling came to fore during a meeting led by All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge Rajeev Shukla, as supporters of former Union minister Pawan Kumar Bansal and Chandigarh Congress President HS Lucky, both front runners for the Chandigarh ticket, voiced their support for them.

Shukla, accompanied by Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, was at Rajiv Gandhi Congress Bhawan in Sector 35 to address booth-level assistants, block presidents, district presidents and office-bearers of the Chandigarh unit.

The situation became uncomfortable for the leaders as slogans were raised in favour of both Bansal and Lucky. Chandigarh Congress leader Harmail Kesri even voiced opposition to Bansal and advocated for Anandpur Sahib MP Manish Tewari as a potential candidate.

However, Shukla clarified that he was present in the city only to engage with local leaders and the candidate for the Chandigarh seat will be announced soon

During the meeting of the Central Election Committee of Congress held on March 19 to decide the candidate from the Chandigarh constituency, Mallikarjun Kharge was authorised to finalise the name.

While addressing the meeting on Wednesday, Sukhu expressed confidence that the Congress will win in Chandigarh and appealed to all people from Himachal Pradesh living in the city to vote for the party.

Four-time MP from Chandigarh and former Union minister Bansal recalled the contribution of successive Congress governments in the making of India, adding that the party will highlight the work done by it at the Centre and in the city.

Lucky presented a detailed report on the functioning and preparations of Chandigarh Congress and said the party was fully geared up to take on rival BJP.

He said no matter who was fielded from Chandigarh, the candidate will be supported by all party leaders and workers. He recounted the works done by the Chandigarh Congress during his tenure and also the positive role played by the local party unit in the recently held mayoral elections.