CHANDIGARH: The ‘one family-one ticket’ diktat has not deterred the kith and kin of Congress leaders from throwing their hat in the election ring.
In fact, the promise of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and Punjab state chief Captain Amarinder Singh of giving at least 30 seats to youths has resulted in three generations of political families applying for the ticket.
The list of the nearly 1,600 ticket applicants – higher than 1,450 in 2012 polls – has mostly youths.
Belying expectations that the new norm of two voters per booth for ticket aspirants will bring down the number of contenders – Amarinder had said the norm would weed out non-serious candidates – the promise of more seats to youth, more Hindu faces in urban seats and only one ticket per family has led to a jump in the numbers.
Interestingly, the “one ticket, per family” rule in some cases has grandfather, son and grandson all trying their luck.
Samrala MLA Amrik Dhillon (74) has applied from his seat, so has his son Kamaldeep Dhillon (52) and grandson Karanvir Dhillon, 25. Amrik says everyone has a right to apply and it is up to the party high command to choose who they want to field.
“If they do not want to field a 74-year-old like me, they can choose my son. If they want a young face, they can choose my grandson,” he adds. While Kamaldeep has been a treasurer of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC), Karanvir is an MBA from the UK.
{{/usCountry}}“If they do not want to field a 74-year-old like me, they can choose my son. If they want a young face, they can choose my grandson,” he adds. While Kamaldeep has been a treasurer of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC), Karanvir is an MBA from the UK.
{{/usCountry}}The other father-son duo in the list of aspirants are PPCC vice-president Lal Singh and his son Rajinder Singh. While Lal Singh has applied for his Sanuar seat, his son has applied for the Samana seat in Patiala district.