M A I N   N E W S

Amarinder’s brother threatens to part ways
Umesh Dewan/Aman Sood
Tribune News Service

Patiala, January 6
Malvinder Singh, brother of Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh, today threatened to revolt against the party and said he would contest against his nephew Tikku (Raninder Singh) from the Samana Assembly seat.

Malvinder accused Amarinder of "betrayal" for blocking his nomination twice. "This is despite the fact that I worked hard to ensure a successful career for my brother."

Amarinder, however, remained unfazed. "I am not aware of any such development. I cannot say anything on this. It is up to Malvinder to take his own decision," he said.

Malvinder said he would send in his resignation from the primary membership of the Congress on Sunday.

The revolt in Captain's family has brought the Samana constituency to the centre-stage of Punjab politics. The constituency is set to witness a triangular contest. Samana is an Akali-dominated segment post-delimitation. Malvinder said he had been deliberately sidelined. "I have been working for the constituency since 1976 when I left the Army. It is the second time that I have been denied the party ticket." In the last assembly elections, he said, he had applied for the Congress ticket from Samana, but was denied the chance. "Some party leaders told me that it was Amarinder who opposed my ticket," he said. "It was Amarinder, who

asked me to apply for the Congress ticket from Patiala Rural and not Samana to which I agreed. Then, all of a sudden, my sister-in-law Preneet Kaur, who is the Patiala MP, on behalf of Raninder, filed the application for Congress ticket from Samana for her son," he said.

Malvinder said has might enter the fray as an Independent. Asked if the Congress did not accept his resignation till January 12, the last date for filing of nomination papers, he said, "In that case, I will go ahead and file my papers. The party can expel me."