Cong to release first list today

According to sources,from among the 44 sitting MLAs,three or four could be dropped on grounds of age or incompetency. Among others there may be a musical chairs owing to both delimitation and “anti-incumbency” factors — the latter prompting some seat swaps mainly in the Malwa belt. Those facing opposition within the party,such as Barnala MLA Kewal Dhillon,are very much in the list.

Other than sitting MLAs,it will include office-bearers of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) such as Ramesh Dogra,former ministers Chaudhary Santokh Singh and Avtar Henry,besides Rana Kaypee and Mahesh Inder Badal,who will be pitted against his two cousins — Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Gurdas Badal from Lambi.

The first list also includes new faces from among the party’s women and youth wings. Other than state Mahila Congress president Malti Thappar,some other office-bearers of the women’s body will find a place in the list. Vikram Chaudhary,the newly-elected state Youth Congress president and sons of former ministers elected to the state body of the PYC,are also learnt to be in the first list.

However,the most watched-out detail will be the seats from where kin of senior Congress leaders are vying for tickets. Amarinder’s brother Malvinder Singh,Bhattal’s son-in-law Vikram Bajwa,her brother — sitting MLA Kuldeep Bhattal’s son Gurvir Bhattal,MP Pratap Singh Bajwa’s brother and wife,MP Santosh Chaudhary’s husband and former PPCC president SS Dullo and his wife are all in the list of ticket-seekers.