New Delhi, March 19
The Congress today got Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari on board to contest from his current parliamentary constituency of Ludhiana. His name will be announced as and when the party’s fourth list of candidates is released which could be late tonight.

Former Punjab MP Surinder Singla today wrote to party’s central leaders suggesting name of AICC general secretary Ambika Soni for the Amritsar seat.

Singla said Khatris are in substantial numbers in the constituency and Soni will be a good candidate from there as she is a Khatri and a well-known Congress leader. As for Manish Tewari, he today conveyed to the central leadership that he would defend his segment despite health concerns. Top Congress sources said Tewari had last week expressed reservation over contesting and called up Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s political secretary Ahmed Patel to convey that he was unwell.

“We never had an issue with Manish Tewari’s seat. He cited health concerns, which resulted in the seat being kept pending,” said Ahmed. The turn of events in Tewari’s case came after a delegation of party leaders from Ludhiana met Shakeel Ahmed last evening and urged him to field Manish from there.

“When we went to meet Manish Tewari at his residence and asked him why he was in double mind about contesting from Ludhiana, he said he was unwell. But he can contest now as his medical reports were clear” said Ashwani Sharma, a councillor from Ludhiana.