Fielding BJP heavyweight Arun Jaitley from Amritsar has given rise to speculations of former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh being fielded by the Congress from the holy city.
Even as Amarinder’s camp vehemently denied reports as nothing but “rumours”, party sources in New Delhi maintained that senior party leader’s name was in “consideration zone” for Amritsar.The party’s Punjab unit was rife with rumours that Amarinder may be the party choice to be fielded against Jaitley considering that he would be the only leader in the State to give a befitting fight to the BJP stalwart in his first ever battle of the ballots.
Sources said Punjab Congress chief Partap Singh Bajwa has told the party high command that the former Punjab Chief Minister could be a suitable candidate to take on Jaitley. Amarinder’s OSD Major Amandeep Singh told The Pioneer that all the reports regarding Amarinder being fielded from Amritsar was rumours, and “even the seat was not offered to him at any point of time”.
On the other hand, it has been learnt that Amarinder’s name was floated in the party circles by some of his opponents within the party. It was contended that Amarinder, having been the State Chief Minister, has an effect on people across the State. Besides, he is considered to be the only “Sikh” leader in the party’s State unit to match Jaitley’s stature and have the capability to garner good vote bank for Amritsar seat.
The development assumes significance as several party leaders, including Union Minister Manish Tewari, State Congress chief Bajwa, have expressed their reluctance to contest lok Sabha elections.In fact, Amarinder had also made known his unwillingness to contest parliamentary polls when Bajwa had proposed his name for Bathinda parliamentary seat. Permanent invitee of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) had informed party president Sonia Gandhi that his services would be more useful for the party if he canvasses for the party candidates across State, rather than sticking to one seat.
The party workers believe that fielding Amarinder from the holy city would mean contesting polls from two places — Amritsar and Patiala from where his wife and sitting MP Preneet Kaur is contesting polls in a triangular contest. A former MP, Amarinder had also been vocal about not being able to foray into national politics, and staying in the State politics.