Channi vs Sidhu: 31 poll candidates remain undecided; Congress forms committee to decide

As the Punjab Assembly elections inch closer, worries are mounting for the Punjab Congress as incumbent Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and PPCC chief Navjot Sidhu are in disagreement on various issues pertaining to the polls. 

Amid the ongoing tussle between Sidhu and Channi, the Congress has reached an impasse for deciding upon the names of the candidates to 31 seats, who will be representing the party in the upcoming polls. The Congress Central Election Committee (CEC) held a meeting on Saturday to decide the name of candidates. However, the meeting chaired by Congress President Sonia Gandhi remained inconclusive due to the differences of opinion among Chief Minister Channi and the Punjab Congress head.

Congress' 31 poll candidates remain undecided 

As the names of the candidates remained unsettled on Saturday, Congress formed a committee to overlook the matter and announce the candidates on the remaining seats as soon as possible. As per ANI sources, the committee formed by Congress consists of KC Venugopal, senior leader Ambika Soni and chairman of the screening committee of Punjab, Ajay Makan.

Congress has listed the names of 86 candidates. However, 31 are remaining out of a total of 117 legislative constituencies. It is being contemplated that the Punjab Congress doesn’t want to repeat a large number of candidates from these seats to escape anti-incumbency.

It should be mentioned that the tussle between Sidhu and Channi has grown wider after Sidhu denied the party ticket to CM Channi’s brother Dr Manohar Singh Channi from Bassi Pathana.

Sidhu to be Congress' Punjab CM face?

Questions are also being raised on the Congress’ CM face in poll-bound Punjab, as speculations are rife that Sidhu might become Congress’ CM choice. Speaking on the same, Punjab Congress President Navjot Singh Sidhu on Saturday said that Congress High Command will decide the chief ministerial face for the 2022 Punjab Assembly polls.

"There is a high commission to decide on CM candidate. I did not make the Punjab model for any position. I keep thinking about Punjab. Punjab is my passion. My intention is to work for the development of the state...The party who had people like Ambedkar, Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Lala Lajpat Rai know to make their decisions," Navjot Sidhu said.

Punjab is scheduled to go on polls on Feb 20.

(Image: PTI)