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Congressmen may get list today, delay makes
party listless in campaign
WSN Network
Chandigarh: As Akali campaign
machinery got into top gear, and Prakash Singh Badal went around
Punjab cajoling, mollifying, sooting, coaxing, goading the enraged,
the angry and the left-out ticket aspirants, Congressmen looked
askance towards the high command, as always, for the elusive list of
candidates. By Thursday evening, most candidates' names will be
known.
But one thing is clear: PM Manmohan Singh has shrunk away from
picking the bait for Amritsar Lok Sabha seat, where state Finance
Minister Surinder Singla is now the front runner. Even the Akali
candidates with tickets in their pockets eagerly looked forward to
the Congress list to know their rivals.
Though embroiled in court hearings (see separate story on page 6),
Badal was busy tackling the tide of revolt that threatened to rock
Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) boat after allotment of tickets though the
early announcement of candidates ensured that the party leaders had
enough time to woo the rebels.
On the other hand, a long campaign could not be sustained because of
dearth of resources.
Badal made promises of lucrative posts in the new government to
whoever was willing to listen. Besides, Sukhbir Badal and other
family members also undertook the damage control exercise, albeit
with partial success. However, where the rebels have not budged from
their stand, there are attempts to wean away their main supporters
and weaken them.
The main threat to SAD was in Faridkot where the sitting party
legislator Kushaldeep Singh Dhillon had threatened to contest
independently if denied a ticket. His revolt would have not only
affected the party’s prospects in Faridkot but also in a couple of
neighbouring seats. Finally, he was allotted the ticket but not
before seeking unconditional apology for his anti-party utterances.
In Bathinda, Chiranji Lal Garg, who had raised the banner of revolt
agreed to support SAD nominee Sarup Singla unconditionally. In
Sangrur, Ranjit Singh Baliyan has been won over by convincing him
that it was only opposition from Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa that has come
in the way of fielding him.
However, in Muktsar the party has failed to win over Harnirpal Singh
Kukku who had lost to Sukhdarshan Singh Marar in 2002, who was then
an independent candidate and had finally landed in the Akali fold
after a stint with the Congress. Since Kuku is determined to
contest, the party is busy winning over his supporters so that he
gives up even before filing of nomination papers.
In Payal, Jagjeevanpal, a protege of Captain Kanwaljit Singh, has
reconciled and would lend support to party nominee Mahesh Inder
Singh Grewal. The revolt in Nakodar and Nawanshahr has also tapered
out.
Remaining trouble spots are Dhuri, Lehra, Pucca Kalan, Valtoha and
Tarn Taran, where SAD would ultimately face rebel candidates.
Reports suggest that political decimation of the late Beant Singh's
family could be on the cards as Gurkanwal Kaur may miss the bus from
Jalandhar cantonment seat, leaving only her brother Tej Prakash with
the last hope for a ticket. Gurkeerat Singh, the grandson of the
assassinated CM was not even being considered for the ticket.
17 January, 2007
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