No ticket for relatives, says Cong poll panel

Sunday, 25/12/2011

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2011/20111225/punjab.htm#6

The coordination committee constituted for Punjab elections by the party high command has strongly recommend denying party ticket to relatives of Congress leaders, unless the candidate has his/her own standing in the party.

The recommendations were made and accepted in a meeting held today wherein it was decided that the Congress could fight the SAD effectively if it projected itself as a party of the people instead of a family party.

It was further decided that since the Congress had a dominant urban vote bank, there should be no tinkering with the seat allotment to Hindus that had been given to SC, ST and backward classes in the past.

The committee, chaired by Punjab Congress president Captain Amarinder Singh, was of the view that Jat Sikh candidates who lost in the last elections and were now looking for urban seats would not be accommodated on urban Hindu seats.

The Congress has decided to boycott PTC TV channel. Union Information Minister Ambika Soni, who was also present in the meeting held today in Delhi, said she was aware about PTC "turning into a mouth peace of the SAD". The Congress would approach the Election Commission and also find legal ways to seek a ban on PTC while the election process was on.

But most heat was generated in the meeting over the induction of three former SAD leaders into the Congress. These include one SGPC member and two senior vice-presidents of the People's Party of Punjab.

Capt Amarinder said both Jagmeet Brar (AICC member) and Avtar Brar (Faridkot MLA) were consulted before inducting the defecting Akalis into the Congress. However, both Jagmeet and Brar strongly disputed the claim saying that this was wrong averment of the facts.

Calling defectors from other parties "ticketoos" (ticket seekers), CLP Leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal said in future no such persons should be adjusted in the Congress as it demoralised the party loyalists and caused differences in the party.

Former Congress president Mohinder Singh Kaypee also opposed the induction of "defectors" and said he was not taken into confidence before accepting these leaders. It was disclosed that no commitment of granting party ticket had been made to these three leaders.

Though Captain Amarinder, Bhattal and Gulchain Singh Charak, in-charge of Congress affairs in Punjab, were present at the induction ceremony of these leaders, it is for the first time that it has been revealed that consultations were held with leaders who would be directly affected by the move.

Others present at the meeting included Preneet Kaur, Ravneet Bitoo, Raj Kumar Verka and Brahm Mohindra.