Facing a problem of plenty and apprehending rebellion, Punjab Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday asked all 1,661 applicants for 117 Assembly seats to work with a team spirit and ensure victory of the party in the ensuing elections.
"The overwhelming response from the applicants for the Congress tickets indicates what way the wind is blowing," he said, while expressing confidence about party forming the Government in 2017.
"The overwhelming response from the ticket aspirants is indicative of a strong and robust mood among the cadres over the imminent victory in the elections," said the former chief minister after the completion of the process of submission of applications by candidates for 117 assembly segments.
"As there are 117 slots only, there will be 1,544 others who will not get the party nomination and I assure all of them that once the government is formed, there will be umpteen options available to all of them and they will be suitably accommodated," he said, while hoping that all of them will work with a team spirit and ensure the victory of the candidate who gets the party nomination.
PPCC president claimed that after the party announced that about 35 tickets will be distributed among the youth, there has been an overwhelming response from the younger generation and most of them well-qualified graduates and post graduates.
While exact figures have not been worked out as yet, the initial perusal suggested that the number of youth applicants is quite substantial and may be around 30 to 35 percent, he said adding that a large number of women candidates have also applied for the tickets.
The applications will be screened for various mandatory formalities that were required, said Capt Amarinder, adding that after the screening, each and every applicant's credentials will be verified, which will be followed with his performance and assessment at the ground level.
"Details and claims will be thoroughly cross-checked before processing these further," he added.
Reiterating that winability will be the sole criterion for selecting the candidates, Capt Amarinder said that the assessments will be made at multiple levels and through multiple channels. The party has adopted a scientifically foolproof method to ensure that the best candidate gets nominated, he said.
At the same time, PPCC president clarified that those who will not be able to make it to the final list, as there will be many like those, will be equal stake holders in the government formation and will be as important as those getting the nominations.
"For the party, they are as important as the candidate getting the nomination, as they will be the campaign drivers," he said, while adding that their performance during the elections will qualify them for the respective positions in the government later.
He pointed out that he has already clarified that the MlAs and those contesting elections will not be appointed to any boards, corporations and trusts as the chairmen. "These positions will be reserved only for those who do not get the tickets and who ensure the victory of the party candidate from the particular constituency," he said.