Punjab News Express
NEW DELHI: The Congress on Monday released its first list of candidates for the MC elections in Punjab, choosing to go with its one-family-one-ticket rule with the exception of sitting councillors.
The party, which has announced names of 31 candidates for Patiala, has decided to field all the sitting councillors, while taking a tough stand against rebels and deserters.
These decisions were taken on Monday at a high-level meeting chaired by Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh. Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Sunil Jakhar was present at the meeting, held in New Delhi, along with AICC secretary and Punjab in-charge Asha Kumari and AICC secretary Harish Chaudhary.
The meeting decided that those who left the party in 2012 and 2014 will not be accommodated in the matter of ticket allocation for the MC polls. However, those who contested and lost MC elections earlier but remained steadfast in their loyalty to the party would be considered for nomination.
In another decision aimed at rewarding loyalty and boosting party morale, it was decided to give preference to original Congress members over those who have joined from other parties, according to a party spokesperson.
There was no change in the party’s policy with regard to ticket allocation from the one followed during the Punjab assembly polls, said the spokesperson, adding that the success of the Congress in the February state elections had shown that merit and winnabilty were the right considerations in choosing the best candidates.