After news of union minister and sitting MP Manish Tewari opting out of the parliamentary contest reached Ludhiana, his supporters were demolarised, thereby cancelling the rally scheduled in the city on Saturday.
It is learnt that Tewari has postponed his visit following his ill-health and is stated to have been hospitalised again.
The workers and leaders who were all geared up for the March 22 rally are in a state of shock as everybody was prepared to take the rival parties head-on with the commencement of the election campaign.
This is the third time that Tewari’s visit has been postponed, resulting in embarrassment for the party cadres who had prepared to commence aggressive campaigning but had to cut a sorry figure every time.
He was supposed to come to Ludhiana in the first week of March but the visit was postponed and the reason cited was some urgent party matters that needed his attention. His second visit was scheduled for second week of March, which was again postponed following his ill-health and hospitalisation. Thereafter, the news of Tewari opting out of contest came.
Following the new development, some Congress leaders and workers convened a meeting and unanimously decided to boycott “parachute candidates” from outside Ludhiana for the constituency. Former district Congress president Krishan Kumar Bawa while speaking to HT on behalf of workers and leaders stated that if Manish Tewari is not contesting from Ludhiana, the district leaders and workers will prefer someone from Ludhiana.
{{/usCountry}}Following the new development, some Congress leaders and workers convened a meeting and unanimously decided to boycott “parachute candidates” from outside Ludhiana for the constituency. Former district Congress president Krishan Kumar Bawa while speaking to HT on behalf of workers and leaders stated that if Manish Tewari is not contesting from Ludhiana, the district leaders and workers will prefer someone from Ludhiana.
{{/usCountry}}MLA Rakesh Pandey said the party workers wanted someone from Ludhiana.