Congress is ready to declare the names of 7 candidates from Punjab for the in its next list of Lok Sabha candidates according to latest reports. In the screening committee meeting held in Delhi this past evening, a decision was taken to repeat the tickets of three sitting MPs, as per sources. Whereas approval is awaited from the high command for changing the constituency of one sitting MP, agreement has been reached on the seats of Patiala, Sangrur and Jalandhar. The list is likely to be announced by today evening.
Some notable attendees of the meeting were Senior leader Bhakta Charan Das, Punjab affairs in-charge Devendra Yadav along with PPCC chief Amarinder Singh Raja Wading and CLP leader Pratap Singh Bajwa.
There is complete consensus on the name of Dr. Dharamveer Gandhi from Patiala, following MP Preneet Kaur’s entry to BJP from Patiala. But former PPCC chief Lal Singh and former MLA Hardayal Kamboj are opposing it. At the same time, according to an estimate of Congress, Sidhu Moosewala's father can also be an independent candidate from Patiala., former Aam Aadmi MP Dr. Dharamvir Gandhi is almost certain to get a ticket from Patiala. From Sangrur, Sukhpal Khaira is almost certain to get the ticket.
Similarly, after Congress MP Ravneet Singh Bittu joined the BJP in Ludhiana seat, the party are increasing likely to align their hopes with Bharat Bhushan Ashu. But sources inform that Congress first wants to wait for the announcement of the name of the AAP candidate from Ludhiana. Congress currently has 5 MLAs in Punjab after MPs from Patiala and Ludhiana left the party. These include Gurjit Aujla from Amritsar, Jasbir Dimpa from Khadur Sahib, Mohammad Sadiq from Faridkot, Dr. Amar Singh from Fatehgarh Sahib and Manish Tiwari from Anandpur Sahib. According to the information, one of these five tickets is to be cut and 1 is being shifted while the high command approves of 3 tickets.
Along with this, former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi has been active in the Jalandhar seat for some time now. He was seen constantly attending religious programs there and actively addressing the media. Meanwhile, he has also faces disapproval of former MP Santokh Singh Chaudhary's family. It is considered almost certain that he will contest from this seat.