Multi-corner contests in Punjab
Chandigarh: Even as Punjab is set to witness multi-corner contests this time with the Congress, the Aam Aadmi Party, the Shirmani Akali Dal, and the BJP-Punjab Lok Congress as key players, Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi will contest from two seats this time.
Two days before the last date of filing of nominations for the February 20 election, the Congress on Sunday released its third list of eight candidates fielding Channi from a second seat – Bhadaur (SC). Channi is already defending his current seat Chamkaur Sahib (SC) which has been represented thrice in the State Assembly by him. In the list, Congress has fielded Manish Bansal from Barnala seat ignoring the claim of former MLA Kewal Dhillon.
Manish Bansal is a son of former union minister and IACC Treasurer Pawan Kumar Bansal. The Congress dropped Nawanshahr MLA Angad Saini. Saini is married to Rae Bareli MLA Aditi Singh who recently quit the Congress and crossed over to BJP.
Meanwhile, the party's move to field Channi from the second seat has renewed speculations over the chief ministerial face of the party in Punjab.
During a virtual rally in Jalandhar on January 27, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi had said that the party would name its CM face soon after consultation with party workers. Gandhi had said that both Channi and PCC president Navjot Singh Sidhu had assured him that whoever is named as the CM candidate by the party, the others will wholeheartedly support him.
Meanwhile, Sidhu on Sunday said that no one can defeat the Congress in the upcoming Assembly polls except for the Congress itself.
Sidhu made these comments when his attention was drawn towards factionalism in the party. Speaking in his Amritsar East Assembly constituency, Sidhu attacked his SAD rival Bikram Singh Majithia calling him 'parcha mafia.'
"He (Majithia) has filed cases against so many people. I have not filed a single case against anyone," he added.
Majithia is currently facing an FIR by the Punjab Police under Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act and is contesting against Sidhu from Amritsar East besides his traditional Majithia Assembly seat.
