Congress’s Pawan Bansal, Lucky and Lubana vie for Chandigarh MP ticket

Former Union Minister and ex-Chandigarh MP, Pawan Bansal, 76, when approached, stated, “I have always been working for the city. If I get the opportunity, I will again do my best, as I did during my earlier stints. In the last ten years, there were over 50 explicit promises made in their sankalp patra, not a single one was honored. People will compare the work of the BJP and my work.”

Despite speculations during the last Lok Sabha elections suggesting Bansal might not contest, his recent public engagements and interactions indicate otherwise. His team regularly shares videos of him addressing failed promises.

Bansal, originally from Tapa Mandi, has a rich political history, being first elected as MP from Chandigarh in 1991. He held various portfolios in the Union Cabinet, including water resources, parliamentary affairs, science and technology, earth sciences, and railways. Despite facing defeat in the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls, Bansal remains a prominent figure in Chandigarh’s political landscape.

Harmail Kesri, a Congress youth leader, was the first to file the application, expressing confidence that the Congress leadership, including Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, would choose a young candidate for the Chandigarh seat.

Congress Youth president from Chandigarh, Manoj Lubana, asserted, “Chandigarh needs a young face now, and that is why I will be filing my application tomorrow. I have been with the city residents in every problem.”

Chandigarh Congress president Harmohinder Singh Lucky, while acknowledging Bansal’s seasoned political background, expressed interest in being considered if the party is looking for a young and different face.