Ahead of the crucial by-elections on November 13 for four Punjab Assembly seats, the Congress party has formed a high-profile ‘Strategy and Planning Committee’, which includes seven prominent leaders to oversee the campaigns. Headed by the Leader of Opposition in Vidhan Sabha Pratap Singh Bajwa, this committee was announced by Punjab Congress in-charge Devendra Yadav, who has laid out a strategic plan to secure these critical constituencies for Congress amidst rising competition from other political parties.
The Committee’s formation features prominent Congress members including Punjab Congress president and Ludhiana MP Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, Jalandhar MP and former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, former Deputy Chief Minister and Gurdaspur MP Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, former Minister Vijay Inder Singla, Alok Sharma, and Ravindra Dalvi.
The seven-member team will be responsible for shaping and directing campaigns to regain and solidify Congress’s influence across the four constituencies. Of the four assembly segments going for polls, three — Gidderbaha, Dera Baba Nanak, and Chabbewal were with the Congress, while one, Barnala, was represented by the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
Warring and Randhawa have an added personal stake in these elections, as both of their wives, Amrita Warring and Jatinder Kaur, respectively, are contesting the Gidderbaha and Dera Baba Nanak seats — earlier represented by their husbands — as Congress candidates. Their family connections, combined with their experience in Punjab’s political landscape, are expected to drive committed efforts in these by-elections.
To enhance the focus on each constituency, the Punjab Congress has appointed constituency-specific in-charges and co-in-charges, ensuring that every region receives dedicated attention. For Gidderbaha, former MP Jasvir Singh Dimpa Gill has been made in-charge, with former MLAs Kulbir Singh Zira and Kuldeep Singh Vaid as co-in-charge and convener, respectively.
For the Barnala seat, former Minister Vijay Inder Singla has been appointed in-charge, supported by former MLA Gurkirat Singh Kotli as co-in-charge, and former MLA Hardayal Singh Kamboj as convener.
Former Minister and senior leader Rana Gurjeet Singh will oversee Chabbewal constituency, former Minister Sunder Sham Arora as co-in-charge, and former MLA Pawan Adia serves as convener. Arora’s restoration in the party assumes significance with former Minister’s political return remaining under scrutiny considering that he is facing several legal cases, including allegations of amassing disproportionate assets. Despite these controversies, the party’s decision to involve Arora signaled its readiness to leverage his influence in this critical region.
For Dera Baba Nanak segment, former Minister and veteran Congress leader Tripat Rajinder Singh Bajwa takes charge, with former Minister Aruna Chaudhary and former MLA Barindermeet Singh Pahara as co-in-charge and convener, respectively.
The newly-established committee reflected Congress’s determination to retain its strongholds and ensure successful campaign coordination. Each member’s responsibility underscored the party’s meticulous approach to these by-elections, with hopes to solidify Congress’s standing in Punjab. With seasoned leaders at the helm and the backing of state and regional influencers, Congress is positioning itself as a formidable contender in the November by-elections.
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AAP expels Barnala district chief Bath for defying party in by-election
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday expelled its Barnala district head Gurdeep Bath from the party over his independent candidacy against the official AAP nominee in ensuing by-election. Bath’s primary membership has been revoked, according to an announcement shared by AAP on its social media account ‘X’. Citing two main reasons for the expulsion, AAP stated that Bath’s actions and public statements opposing the party candidate were seen as damaging AAP’s image. Secondly, AAP accused Bath of disciplinary violations, stating that his conduct was unbecoming of a party official and such behaviour would not be tolerated. Once a top contender for the AAP ticket from Barnala, Bath lost the nomination to Harinder Dhaliwal, a close associate of Sangrur MP and former Barnala MLA Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer. Following this, Bath voiced strong opposition and resigned from his post as chairman of the District Planning Committee a week ago. Despite attempts by AAP to reconcile with Bath, he announced his decision to contest as an independent after consulting local leaders and supporters, even filing his nomination papers.
Punjab CEO unveils draft electoral roll amid voter awareness drive
Punjab Chief Electoral Officer Sibin C on Tuesday officially handed over the draft electoral roll (without photographs) to representatives of the recognized political parties during a meeting at the CEO Office. The current voter count in Punjab stands at 2,12,81,800, comprising 1,11,84,385 male voters, 1,00,96,664 female voters, 751 from the third gender, 1,610 NRIs, 1,55,578 disabled voters, and 1,01,793 service voters.
Sibin C announced that claims and objections regarding the draft electoral roll can be filed until November 28, 2024. The final electoral list is set for publication on January 6, 2025. He emphasized that Punjab has 24,446 polling stations, with 8,062 in urban areas and 16,384 in rural locales, all equipped with essential amenities like ramps, drinking water, and toilets to facilitate voter access. To enhance voter awareness, a series of outreach activities will take place from October 29 to November 28, with special camps scheduled on November 9, 10, 23, and 24. The CEO urged political party representatives to appoint booth-level agents at each polling station to ensure a transparent electoral process.
