For poll ‘match’,Cong players come in pairs

In case of another former MLA and MP,Rana Gurjit Singh,it is musical chairs within the family. Rana Gurjit,who was earlier Kapurthala MLA,has once again staked the claim from the seat presently occupied by his wife,Rajbans Kaur,who has won’t be in the poll fray in support of her husband.

After wives and husbands,it is the turn of siblings. The most interesting entry in this list is state Congress president Capt Amarinder Singh’s brother,Malvinder Singh,who has applied for a ticket from Patiala (Rural). Amarinder himself is the sole contender from Patiala (Urban). The family pairing ends here as Amarinder’s son,Raninder Singh,has not applied for a ticket.

The list also has former ministers Jagjit Singh and Santokh Singh,brothers,who are in the poll race with sons,Surinder and Vikram Chaudhary.

The family soap does not end here. Chaudhary Jagjit Singh’s son,Surinder,has applied from two seats – from Kartarpur against his father and is also pitted against his cousin,Vikram,in Adampur,now a reserved constituency. “Kartarpur is a family seat and I have applied as a second option as my father is now 80 years old and not keeping good health. If I do not get a ticket from Kartarpur,I may be considered from Adampur,” explains Surinder.

Another former minister,Sardul Singh is also in the list with his son,Sukhwinder Singh Danny,who has applied for Attari seat in Amritsar.

In the case of some,the family borders have crossed into the extended family. As in the case of Punjab’s leader of Opposition Rajinder Kaur Bhattal whose son,Rahul,is not in the race but son-in-law Vikram Bajwa has sought a party ticket from Sahnewal in Ludhiana district. Within the family,there are more. The second pairing in the Bhattal family is of her brother Kuldeep Bhattal,a sitting MLA,and his son,Gurbir Bhattal.

Then there are pairs with Centre-state relations. Congress MP from Hoshiarpur,Santosh Chaudhary’s husband,Chaudhary Ram Lubhaya,has applied for the Sham Chaurasi seat in Hoshiarpur. Son of former Phillaur MP,Chaudhary Sunder Singh,Lubhaya credits his wife’s ascent not just to his political legacy but to her own. “Santosh’s father was a minister and MP in Himachal. As for me,I have been nurturing the constituency for long and staked a claim for the party ticket the third time. I have lost only once and am hopeful of winning this time,” he adds.

In the same list is former PPCC president,presently MP from Jalandhar,Mohinder Singh Kaypee whose wife,Sunam Kaypee has applied for Jalandhar West,and Congress MP from Gurdaspur Pratap Singh Bajwa’s younger brother,Fatehjung Bajwa,who has staked a claim to the Qadian seat.