Denied Cong leaders to stand Independent

Brar,who contested as an Independent in the last polls after being denied the party ticket but was taken back by the Congress,is leading the rebellion and announced that he may again contest the polls as an Independent.

“I will try to make the Congress candidate lose this election. An outsider has been given ticket,” Brar said.

Raghbir Singh,who contested unsuccessfully as Congress candidate in 2007 polls against Manpreet Badal,said,“Raja’s security deposit would be forfeited. We would oppose him”.

In fact,the Congress leadership met in Gidderbaha on Friday to decide the future course of action. “It has been decided by those present in the meeting that they would not support Raja during the polls,” Brar said.

Talks are rife that Brar may may defect to Akali Dal. However,Raghbir Singh said that no support would be extended to anyone if that person leaves the Congress to contest on SAD ticket.

Meanwhile,in Jalalabad,Congress leader Hans Raj Josan organised a mega rally after he was denied ticket in favour of new face – Malkiat Singh – a Rai Sikh candidate.

“I am giving 48 hours to the party to change or cancel this ticket or I will contest as an Independent,” Josan announced in the rally.

Josan had earlier contested against Sukhbir Badal in the Jalalabad by-elections and had lost by 80,000 votes. Josan,who belongs from Kamboj community,have been told by his supporters to go for either Fazilka or Guru-Har-Sahai to contest as an Independent as both the constituencies have a huge Kamboj population.

In Sahnewal constituency too,party leader Inderjit Singh Kasabad said he would contest as an Independent candidate after the Congress announced the ticket for Rajinder Kaur Bhattal’s son-in-law Vikram Bajwa.

The party is facing revolt in Fazilka too. After the announcement of ticket to Mohinder Rinwa,22 Congress leadrs including ticket aspirants Devinder Sachdeva,Capt Bedi and Satnam Rai,have revolted and are likely to make an announcement soon.

The protests from within the Congress in Ludhiana Central constituency started late on Thursday,minutes after party announced gave the ticket to former MLA Surinder Dawar. Thirteen Congress councillors and several other leaders have given an ultimatum to the party to cancel this ticket by Sunday or face a party insider as an Independent candidate. The name of the candidate,rebels said,will be announced a day after,on January 9. Congress councillor Shaym Sunder Malhotra was the main contender for the ticket. Dawar,however,said that he will soon have rebels by his side.

Similarly,revolt is brewing in Ferozepur city constituency where former Congress MLA Ravinder Babbal has been denied ticket in favour of Parminder Pinki. Babbal has called meeting of workers on Saturday and he is likely to announce to contest as an Independent or may switch to another party,sources said.

In Ludhiana East constituency,former district Congress president Jagmohan Sharma was denied ticket in favour of Gurmail Singh Pehalwaan. An ‘annoyed’ Sharma said,“I will decide about contesting as an Independent after talking with party workers.”

In Balluana constituency,Giriraj Rajoura – a new face has been given ticket aftre denying the same to the former MLA Parkash Singh Bhatti. Sources said,an ‘unhappy’ Bhatti may announce his decision soon.

Similarly,Sitting Congress MLA from Jagraon Gurdeep Bhaini,who was not given the ticket from Dakha,said,“Factionalism is always there in the parties.”

In a related development,23 aspirants from Atam Nagar constituency of Ludhiana held a meeting on Saturday. Malkiat Birmi has been given the party ticket from this constituency. KK Bawa,one of the aspirants,alleged foul play. “All 23 candidates have been ignored. Party MP Manish Tiwari may have played a role in this episode,” he alleged,warning the party to change the candidate within next two days. “We want to ask Tiwari as to what allurement made him ignore all the 23 candidates,” they added.

Meanwhile,Congress leader Baldev Singh Ballamgarh,the party ticket aspirant from Malout,declared to contest as an Independent candidate from the constituency after the party gave the ticket to Nathu Ram.

“Ever since 1993,when I joined the Congress,I had been waiting for the party ticket to contest polls. Now,I have now run out of patience. I would contest as an Independent,” Ballamgarh told The Indian Express.

“As an Independent candidate,I had defeated the Congress’ Chaudhary Shiv Charan in 1992 polls. The first time I contested,in 1980,I had lost by a margin of only 157 votes. But,unfortunately,after joining the Congress,I was not given the party ticket,” said Ballamgarh,who also remained associated with Communist Party of India (CPI) in the beginning of his political career.

Ballamgarh claimed that he was deeply associated with the people of the constituency and had “worked tirelessly for the poor and the downtrodden”.