Congress likely to field Warring, Randhawa’s spouses in bypoll

Amrita Warring, wife of Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief and Ludhiana MP Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, is likely to be fielded in the Gidderbaha Assembly bypoll scheduled on November 13.

Besides, the party may field Jatinder Kaur, wife of Gurdaspur MP Sukhjinder Randhawa from the Dera Baba Nanak Assembly segment. Both the seats were vacated after their husbands were elected as MPs. Other seats include Barnala and Chabbewal.

A discussion on probable candidates was held during a meeting chaired by Punjab Affairs Congress In- charge Devender Yadav on Friday.

Leaders privy to the discussion said, Amrita Warring was a front-runner in Gidderbaha on the basis of survey and inputs received from workers. They said the decision has been left to the party high command to take the final call.

Narinder Kaoni, a former Gidderbaha Zila Parishad chairman, who today met the top leaders, was also in contention. “If the party sticks to one family, one ticket formula, then the high command needs to look for other candidates in Gidderbaha and Dera Baba Nanak,” said a senior leader.

The PCC chief, CLP leader Partap Singh Bajwa, and Co-In charge Punjab Affairs Alok Sharma and Ravindra Uttam Rao Dalvi were also present in the meeting.

Refusing to divulge details, the PCC chief said discussions were held on the candidates and several ticket seekers met the leaders. The final list of the shortlisted candidates would be submitted to the AICC General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal tomorrow. The candidates would be announced by October 19, as filing of nomination papers would end on October 25.

A senior leader said the party does not have strong candidates for the Barnala and Chabbewal Assembly segments. It was pointed out that a Hindu face and local leader should be fielded from Barnala. Two leaders who are eyeing the ticket from Barnala include former Sangrur MLA Vijay Inder Singla, a close confidant of the Gandhi family, and Sangrur district in charge Kuldeep Singh Dhillon.

For Chabbewal seat, Yamini Gautam, who unsuccessfully contested from Hoshairpur parliamentary constituency, Kulwinder Rasoolpur, halqa in charge of Chabbewal, and Lakhbir Singh, a former chief medical officer, were among those who met the senior leaders.