congress: Channi, Sidhu on the first list of 86 names of Pb Cong “Play Safe” | Chandigarh News
Chandigarh: Congress released its first list of 86 candidates for the Punjab Assembly elections on Saturday, lining up Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and State Congress Speaker Navjot Singh Sidhu from their existing seats, while betting on Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala from Mansa, actor Sonu Sood’s sister, Malvika Sood, from Moga, and party leader Sunil Jakhar’s nephew, Sandeep Jakhar, from Abohar.
Playing it safe and to rule out the possibility of desertions in a five-way contest, Congress decided to repeat the majority of its incumbent MPs, including all 17 Cabinet ministers, with the exception of Brahm Mohindra, who quit the seat of Patiala (rural) for his son, Mohit Mohindra. Channi was renamed from Chamkaur Sahib and Sidhu constituency of Amritsar (East). Elections will be held on February 14 for all 117 electoral districts in the state.
Meanwhile, the party dropped four incumbent Congress MPs: Harjot Kamal was passed over in favor of Malvika Sood and joined the BJP. The party selected Rupinder Kaur Ruby, who joined the party after winning the last election on an AAP ticket. She was lined up from Malout in place of incumbent MP Ajaib Singh Bhatti. Another incumbent MP, Balwinder Singh Laddi, was fired from Hargobindpur to make way for Mandeep Singh Ragar Nangal. Laddi had joined the BJP briefly to return to the fold of Congress. From the seat of Balluana (SC), sitting MP Nathu Ram was replaced by Rajinder Kaur.
Former Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal was appointed from Lehra, even though it lost the last election. Contrary to speculation that Channi could also run from a second seat – Adampur in Doaba, the party gave the ticket to former BSP leader Sukhwinder Singh Kotli from there.
Rajya Sabha MP Partap Singh Bajwa will return to state politics by contesting from Qadian. According to reports, his candidacy was challenged by Sunil Jakhar during the selection committee meetings.
Besides Ruby, Sukhpal Singh Khaira, who won against Bholath on an AAP ticket, will now be the Congress candidate from the seat.
Four of Amarinder Singh’s five cabinet ministers who were sacked last year received tickets. They include Balbir Singh Sidhu (Mohali), Sunder Sham Arora (Hoshiarpur), Gurpreet Singh Kangar (Rampura Phul) and Sadhu Singh Dharamsot (Nabha). But the party has yet to field someone from Guru Har Sahai, who was represented by former minister Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, who joined the BJP.
Besides Mohindra, the list included the names of all other cabinet ministers including Manpreet Singh Badal (Bathinda urban), Razia Sultana (Malerkotla), Vijay Inder Singla (Sangrur), Gurkirat Singh Kotli (Khanna), Rana Gurjit Singh ( Kapurthala), Tript Rajinder Bajwa (Fatehgarh Churian), Randeep Singh Nabha (Amloh), Amarinder Singh Raja Warring (Gidderbaha), Pargat Singh (Jalandhar Township), Sangat Singh Gilzian (Umar), Raj Kumar Verka (Amritsar West), Sukhbinder Sarkaria (Rajasansi), Bharat Bhushan Ashu (Ludhiana West) and Aruna Choudhary (Dinanagar).
The party also sent the two deputy chief ministers – Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa of Dera Baba Nanak and OP Soni of Amritsar Central, their current seats.
Former Punjab Youth Congress President Amanpreet Singh Lally got a ticket from Garhshanker even though Channi was pushing for Nimisha Mehta. Another PYC leader, Barinder Singh Dhillon, will contest from Ropar. Jakhar is believed to have objected to Lally’s name at polling panel meetings. Sandeep Sandhu, former Amarinder loyalist, will participate in Dakha.
“The party has exercised caution to avoid major dissent as the alliance between the BJP and former CM Amarinder Singh’s party waits to poach disgruntled MPs from Congress,” a party leader said.
SIDHU STAMP ON THE LIST?
Even though the Congress opted for the obvious choices by retaining 60 of its sitting MPs in the first list of 86, it is believed to have had its way in its choice of candidates, including Naresh Puri of Sujanpur and the son of the Amar Singh party MP, Kamil Amar. Singh of Rajkot. At the last meeting of the selection committee, there was a dispute over 5-6 names with the Heads of State – Channi, Sidhu and Jakhar failed to reach consensus. However, Jakhar’s objections to the candidacy of Amanpreet Singh Lally and Partap Singh Bajwa were ignored while Channi Nimisha Mehta’s choice was disregarded, party insiders said.
NO TICKET FOR CHANNI’S BROTHER
The brother of Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, Dr Manohar Singh, who recently quit as Chief Medical Officer to seek a party ticket from Bassi Pathana, lost the race to MLA Gurpreet Singh GP. So far, the party has followed the “one family, one ticket” rule. Navjot Sidhu had organized a rally in support of GP even before the party decided on the candidacy for the seat.
Dr. Manohar had already started meeting people and addressing rallies in the Scheduled Caste (SC) constituency. In December last year, he visited several villages in the segment and claimed to have redressed their grievances, in addition to setting up an office in Bassi Pathana to meet people daily. He had criticized GP at public events for not doing enough for the region.
He had confirmed to the media that he was interested in running in the constituency if the high command considered him for a party ticket.
Playing it safe and to rule out the possibility of desertions in a five-way contest, Congress decided to repeat the majority of its incumbent MPs, including all 17 Cabinet ministers, with the exception of Brahm Mohindra, who quit the seat of Patiala (rural) for his son, Mohit Mohindra. Channi was renamed from Chamkaur Sahib and Sidhu constituency of Amritsar (East). Elections will be held on February 14 for all 117 electoral districts in the state.
Meanwhile, the party dropped four incumbent Congress MPs: Harjot Kamal was passed over in favor of Malvika Sood and joined the BJP. The party selected Rupinder Kaur Ruby, who joined the party after winning the last election on an AAP ticket. She was lined up from Malout in place of incumbent MP Ajaib Singh Bhatti. Another incumbent MP, Balwinder Singh Laddi, was fired from Hargobindpur to make way for Mandeep Singh Ragar Nangal. Laddi had joined the BJP briefly to return to the fold of Congress. From the seat of Balluana (SC), sitting MP Nathu Ram was replaced by Rajinder Kaur.
Former Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal was appointed from Lehra, even though it lost the last election. Contrary to speculation that Channi could also run from a second seat – Adampur in Doaba, the party gave the ticket to former BSP leader Sukhwinder Singh Kotli from there.
Rajya Sabha MP Partap Singh Bajwa will return to state politics by contesting from Qadian. According to reports, his candidacy was challenged by Sunil Jakhar during the selection committee meetings.
Besides Ruby, Sukhpal Singh Khaira, who won against Bholath on an AAP ticket, will now be the Congress candidate from the seat.
Four of Amarinder Singh’s five cabinet ministers who were sacked last year received tickets. They include Balbir Singh Sidhu (Mohali), Sunder Sham Arora (Hoshiarpur), Gurpreet Singh Kangar (Rampura Phul) and Sadhu Singh Dharamsot (Nabha). But the party has yet to field someone from Guru Har Sahai, who was represented by former minister Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, who joined the BJP.
Besides Mohindra, the list included the names of all other cabinet ministers including Manpreet Singh Badal (Bathinda urban), Razia Sultana (Malerkotla), Vijay Inder Singla (Sangrur), Gurkirat Singh Kotli (Khanna), Rana Gurjit Singh ( Kapurthala), Tript Rajinder Bajwa (Fatehgarh Churian), Randeep Singh Nabha (Amloh), Amarinder Singh Raja Warring (Gidderbaha), Pargat Singh (Jalandhar Township), Sangat Singh Gilzian (Umar), Raj Kumar Verka (Amritsar West), Sukhbinder Sarkaria (Rajasansi), Bharat Bhushan Ashu (Ludhiana West) and Aruna Choudhary (Dinanagar).
The party also sent the two deputy chief ministers – Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa of Dera Baba Nanak and OP Soni of Amritsar Central, their current seats.
Former Punjab Youth Congress President Amanpreet Singh Lally got a ticket from Garhshanker even though Channi was pushing for Nimisha Mehta. Another PYC leader, Barinder Singh Dhillon, will contest from Ropar. Jakhar is believed to have objected to Lally’s name at polling panel meetings. Sandeep Sandhu, former Amarinder loyalist, will participate in Dakha.
“The party has exercised caution to avoid major dissent as the alliance between the BJP and former CM Amarinder Singh’s party waits to poach disgruntled MPs from Congress,” a party leader said.
SIDHU STAMP ON THE LIST?
Even though the Congress opted for the obvious choices by retaining 60 of its sitting MPs in the first list of 86, it is believed to have had its way in its choice of candidates, including Naresh Puri of Sujanpur and the son of the Amar Singh party MP, Kamil Amar. Singh of Rajkot. At the last meeting of the selection committee, there was a dispute over 5-6 names with the Heads of State – Channi, Sidhu and Jakhar failed to reach consensus. However, Jakhar’s objections to the candidacy of Amanpreet Singh Lally and Partap Singh Bajwa were ignored while Channi Nimisha Mehta’s choice was disregarded, party insiders said.
NO TICKET FOR CHANNI’S BROTHER
The brother of Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, Dr Manohar Singh, who recently quit as Chief Medical Officer to seek a party ticket from Bassi Pathana, lost the race to MLA Gurpreet Singh GP. So far, the party has followed the “one family, one ticket” rule. Navjot Sidhu had organized a rally in support of GP even before the party decided on the candidacy for the seat.
Dr. Manohar had already started meeting people and addressing rallies in the Scheduled Caste (SC) constituency. In December last year, he visited several villages in the segment and claimed to have redressed their grievances, in addition to setting up an office in Bassi Pathana to meet people daily. He had criticized GP at public events for not doing enough for the region.
He had confirmed to the media that he was interested in running in the constituency if the high command considered him for a party ticket.