The Congress has decided to follow “one family, one ticket” norm while selecting party candidates for the upcoming assembly elections in Punjab.
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The screening committee that the party’s national general secretary Ajay Maken heads took the decision to give the Congress ticket to only one member of a family at a meeting held in Delhi on Wednesday night. The two-and-a-half hour meeting of the committee tasked with the selection of candidates was attended Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu, chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi, campaign committee chairman Sunil Jakhar, All India Congress Committee secretary in-charge of Punjab affairs Harish Chaudhary, secretary Chandan Yadav and joint secretary Krishna Allavaru.
“The committee discussed all 117 assembly seats. A decision has been taken that not more than one ticket will be given to a family,” Chaudhary told journalists after the meeting, adding that the panel would meet again soon. The one family, one ticket rule is likely to dash the hopes of political families whose two or more members are eager to contest the polls on the Congress ticket. Channi’s younger brother Dr Manohar Singh, who was senior medical officer and has resigned from the service, is said to be eyeing the party ticket from Bassi Pathana assembly segment. The CM is a three-time MLA from the nearby Chamkaur Sahib segment.
Similarly, brothers Partap Singh Bajwa and Fateh Jung Singh Bajwa, the sitting MLA, have staked claim over the Qadian assembly seat. Partap Bajwa, who is the Rajya Sabha member and heads the manifesto committee, is seeking to return to state politics. Fateh Jung, who has Sidhu’s backing, welcomed the decision of the screening committee, saying that being the sitting and winning candidate, he was sure the party leadership would stick by him.
{{/usCountry}}Similarly, brothers Partap Singh Bajwa and Fateh Jung Singh Bajwa, the sitting MLA, have staked claim over the Qadian assembly seat. Partap Bajwa, who is the Rajya Sabha member and heads the manifesto committee, is seeking to return to state politics. Fateh Jung, who has Sidhu’s backing, welcomed the decision of the screening committee, saying that being the sitting and winning candidate, he was sure the party leadership would stick by him.
{{/usCountry}}Cabinet ministers Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa and Rana Gurjit Singh are also keen to push the candidature of their sons.
A party leader said the committee held detailed discussions on 30-35 seats where the sitting legislators were either being considered shoo-ins or there were not many contenders for the party ticket. The screening committee is scheduled to meet again on Friday evening for another round of discussion. “The names of candidates will be announced only after they are approved by the party’s central election committee,” he added.
Rival Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have taken a headstart in announcing their candidates. The SAD has already named candidates for 87 of the 117 seats it is contesting in alliance with the BSP, which has been allocated the remaining 20, whereas the AAP has announced its candidates for 40 segments.
In 2017, the Congress had got a near two-thirds majority, winning 77 seats.