The rebellion is brewing within the Punjab Congress over the distribution of tickets. The party is facing revolt at no less than 15 seats out of the total 109 declared so far, forcing the party high command to review its decision on at least five seats.
The denial of party ticket has resulted in a massive resentment among the left out aspirants who have been demanding review, while many others have declared to contest as independents. In fact, its three sitting MLAs Rana Gurmeet Singh Sodhi (Guru Har Sahai), Fatehjung Singh Bajwa (Qadian), and Dr Harjot Kamal (Moga) have already parted ways with the party.
Prominent among the rebels include former MP Mohinder Singh Kaypee, former Minister Jagmohan Singh Kang, four-time Congress MLA from Samrala Amrik Singh Dhillon, Sunam halqa in-charge Daman Thind Bajwa, singer-turned-politician Satwinder Bitti, Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi’s younger brother Dr Manohar Singh, Cabinet Minister Rana Gurjit Singh’s son Rana Inder Partap Singh, among others.
A day after Congress’ four-time legislator from Samrala Amrik Singh Dhillon filed his nomination papers as an independent, Channi’s brother Dr Manohar Singh on Friday filed his nomination from Bassi Pathana Assembly seat as an independent candidate against the Congress nominee and sitting MLA Gurpreet Singh GP.
Dr Manohar, who resigned from the post of senior medical officer at Kharar Civil Hospital, was staking claims for ticket from Bassi Pathana. “Several prominent people of Bassi Pathana area have asked me to fight as an independent and I will go by what they have said. There is no chance of going back and I will surely fight the polls,” said Dr Manohar after filing the nominations.
Kang, former MLA from Kharar, also revolted against the party and expressed anguish over denial of party ticket to him, while declaring that his son Yadevinder Singh Bunny Kang will contest as independent candidate from Kharar.
Former Minister declared that he would oppose Congress’ official nominee Vijay Sharma Tinky, a liquor contractor, who has been given ticket from Kharar due to his proximity with the Chief Minister Channi, who had opposed his candidature due to “personal reasons”.
“My son Yadevinder will contest as an independent candidate from Kharar...Congress has done injustice to me and my services for society and party have been ignored,” said Kang while maintaining that the decision was taken after holding meetings with his supporters.
Kang, a day before, had also written to the party chief Sonia Gandhi seeking review of the ticket.
Disgruntled Mohinder Singh Kaypee, who continued to be in rebel mode despite several efforts by the party leadership to placate him, is also weighing his options to contest polls. Kaypee, during his meeting with Chief Minister Channi on January 26, had made it clear that he would be contesting polls, but how and from where is yet to be decided. He has been assured that the party high command is review the ticket allotment in Adampur segment.
Kaypee, Channi’s close relative, was denied ticket which was allotted to a BSP leader Sukhwinder Singh Kotli. “Adampur seat in under review...Kaypee is not angry with the party. He was there at Jalandhar and met Rahul Gandhi also,” a senior Congress leader told The Pioneer.
Another seat under review is Majitha from where the party has fielded Jagwinder Pal Singh alias Jagga Majithia. Jagga Majithia is the brother of former Congress leader Sukhjinder Raj Singh Lalli Majithia, who had switched over to the Aam Aadmi Party, and is party nominee.
Congress’ Amritsar Rural unit president Bhagwantpal Singh Sachar, who has been eyeing the ticket from Majitha, had left the party and joined the BJP. However, a day after, he returned to the Congress party after he was assured of reviewing the decision.
Ticket aspirant Daaman Bajwa, who was demanding ticket from Sunam, also expressed her displeasure over the party’s decision of ignoring her candidature. The Congress has fielded Jaswinder Singh Dhiman, nephew of Amargarh MLA Surjit Singh Dhiman, from Sunam.
Channi had also supported Bajwa’s candidature as she has been worked in the segment since past many years. Now, Bajwa is holding parallel meetings and rallies in the constituency.
Another aspirant Satwinder Kaur Bitti, who is known Punjabi singer and a former national level hockey player, was sure of party ticket from Sahnewal seat, from where the party has fielded Vikram Bajwa - the son-in-law of former Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal.
Without naming anyone, Bitti alleged, “The Congress has played into SAD’s hands and given its candidate a walkover by fielding a weak candidate.” She has also declared to contest as independent.
The viral videos of Jasmel Singh, the husband of Ferozepur Rural legislator Satkar Kaur, crying inconsolably were enough to prove their resentment over denial of ticket to the sitting legislator. The Congress fielded Aashu Banger, AAP’s nominee from the seat who recently shifted loyalties towards Congress, from Ferozepur Rural seat.
BOX
Congress Rebels...
Mohinder Singh Kaypee (Adampur)
Jagmohan Singh Kang (Kharar)
Amrik Singh Dhillon (Samrala)
Daman Thind Bajwa (Sunam)
Satwinder Bitti (Sahnewal)
Channi’s brother Dr Manohar Singh (Bassi Pathana)
Minister Rana Gurjit’s son Rana Inder Partap Singh (Sultanpur Lodhi)
Satkar Kaur (Ferozepur Rural)
Malkit Singh Dakha (Jagraon)
Bhagwantpal Singh Sachar (Majitha)
Balwinder Laddi (Sri Hargobindpur)
Nirmal Singh (Shutrana)
Jasbir Singh Dimpa (Khadoor Sahib)
Raj Balwinder Brar (Muktsar)
Gurbhej Singh (Guru Har Sahai)