Even as the ruling Congress and the SAD-BJP combine are struggling to zero in on the names of its warriors for October 11 ballot-battle of Gurdaspur, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday outwitted its opponents by declaring the name of Major General (retired) Suresh Khajuria as its candidate.
In a strategic move to field a war hero, AAP has aimed at the Hindu and ex-servicemen votes in the constituency.
The saffron party, in its bid to retain the seat, has recommended the names of its late MP Vinod Khanna’s wife Kavita Khanna and its senior leader and Mumbai-based industrialist Swaran Salaria to the party high command for the final call.
The Congress, also a national party with the Delhi Durbar being the deciding authority, has also left it on its national president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi to choose a “popular candidate with a clean track record” as its candidate.
Sources told The Pioneer that the Congress party has finalised the name of its State unit chief Sunil Jakhar, and just a formal nod by the high command is required to formally announce his candidature.
Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, who had returned from his london visit just a day before, met Jakhar and the State party affairs secretary in-charge Asha Kumari at New Delhi to discuss the party’s strategy besides the candidate’s name.
Gurdaspur bypoll was necessitated following the demise of sitting MP and Bollywood yesteryears superstar Vinod Khanna, who had represented the seat in the lok Sabha for four times in 1998, 1999, 2004, and 2014.
AAP fields Khajuria to tap ESM vote-bank
In an apparent attempt to tap the ex-servicemen vote bank in Gurdaspur Parliamentary segment besides targeting the Hindu electorates, the AAP has fielded a “local” candidate Major Gen Khajuria.
Hailing from Bungal village in Pathankot district falling under Gurdaspur constituency, 64-year-old Khajuria joined AAP in 2012, after his retirement in 2011. Khajuria has served two tenures as Brigade and Division Commander in Punjab during his 37 years of service.
“Major General Suresh Khajuria is an old party volunteer and is a local resident of Pathankot. The decision to field Khajuria has been taken after due diligence with the Gurdaspur unit of the party and the Majha region leaders and volunteers,” said the State party chief Bhagwant Mann, while addressing the media to announce Khajuria’s candidature along with the leader of Opposition in Vidhan Sabha Sukhpal Singh Khaira.
Khaira said: “We are proud to state that our candidate has a distinguished career in the Armed Forces by serving the country. But the Congress and the BJP are likely to be outsiders and parachuters.”
Taking to the media, Khajuria said the Gurdaspur constituency had been neglected by the traditional parties in last four decades. “I will contest this poll to register a comfortable win. Our fight is against Congress and BJP Governments who have failed to fulfil their poll promises. I will fight for the welfare of the people,” he said.
Cong likely to announce name today, Jakhar favourite
Despite hectic lobbying by Rajya Sabha MP Partap Singh Bajwa for ticket to his wife and former MlA Charanjit Kaur Bajwa, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Sunil Jakhar is still the front-runner.
The Congress party is likely to announce the candidate’s name on Monday after the final nod by the party high command.
The party, during a meeting between its Punjab leaders including Capt Amarinder, Jakhar and Asha Kumari, on Sunday, authorised party national president Sonia Gandhi and vice-president Rahul Gandhi to take the final call on the name of candidate.
It has been learnt that the three discussed several names from the “consideration zone” but decided on one, most probably that of Jakhar.
“It was decided that, as in the February Assembly polls, the Congress would stick to its policy of going with merit-based selection, with the final decision on candidature to vest with AICC president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi,” a statement from the party said.
The three leaders were unanimous in their opinion that only popular candidates with a clean track record should be considered for the seat, which the party is confident of wresting from the BJP, said an official spokesperson.
During the meeting, the leaders discussed the names of Jakhar and also that of Partap Singh Bajwa, who wanted ticket for his wife.
Khanna, Salaria: BJP’s pick
Punjab BJP election committee has sent the names of former MP Vinod Khanna’s wife Kavita Khanna and senior leader Swaran Salaria to the party high command to be selected as candidate for Gurdaspur by-poll.
The final decision will be taken by the BJP’s central parliamentary board.
The meeting, held on Saturday evening headed by the State unit chief and Union Minister Vijay Sampla, also discussed several other names for the seat, but zeroed in on just two and leaving it on the central leadership to take the final decision.
Salaria had lobbied hard for the seat of Gurdaspur during 2014 lok Sabha polls too, after Khanna showed reluctance to contest besides his absence from the constituency for long. However, Khanna managed to secure his seat.
While the saffron party believed that the sympathy factor may work in favour of Khanna’s widow, another set of party leaders maintained that Salaria had worked a lot in this region during 2012 state assembly polls who was made the in charge of four constituencies - Bhoa, Sujanpur, Pathankot and Dinanagar - out of which the party bagged three.