M A I N   N E W S

Differences persist, Cong still undecided on 30 seats
Party’s central poll panel to meet again today
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 3
The Congress today held back the list of its candidates for the Punjab Assembly election, with differences persisting over 30 of the 117 seats. But the Congress high command is learnt to have cleared the names for 87 seats and asked the candidates to return to their constituencies and prepare for the campaign.

Earlier there were reports that the differences had been narrowed down to only 12 seats and that the first list of candidates would be released on Tuesday itself.

Sources in the Congress told The Tribune that the high command has called for a review in 30 constituencies. “ The list is still open and names are being reconsidered,” said the sources late on Tuesday evening.

Sources said the CEC met at Sonia Gandhi’s residence this morning for 90 minutes in which differences over these seats persisted forcing a re consideration. Some of these seats are held up because kin of senior leaders of the state are in the race. On some seats there is a contrary view taken by the central command of the party and the state leaders.

The screening committee headed by union minister CP Joshi was today asked to reconcile the differences and get back to the CEC on Wednesday evening, when Sonia Gandhi is expected to give a final nod to the list.

Sources said Amarinder Singh and Rajinder Kaur Bhattal have been adamant on a few names of their kin but the central leadership sees it differently and has asked for the review.

Sources said relatives of Mohinder Singh Kaypee, Pratap Bajwa and Rajinder Kaur Bhattal are in the race but the Central leadership is resisting giving a ticket to any brother, son, wife or daughter of a sitting MP or MLA. Then there are sharp differences of opinion on some seats between state leaders themselves.

Among the seats under reconsideration is Dhuri, Mansa, Amargarh, Samana, Sunam, Jalandhar west, Maur, Gidderbaha, Muktsra, Sham Chaurasi, Ropar, Anandpur Sahib, Barnala, Bhaduar, Dera Bassi, Rajpura, Pathankot, Jagraon, Khanna, Sahnewal, Jalandhar Central, Amloh, Patiala Rural, Jalandhar Cannt, Faridkot, Qadian and Adampur.