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Journalism of Courage
Senior Congress leader Krishan Kumar Bawa Monday announced to contest the February 20 Assembly polls as an Independent from Ludhiana West constituency.
Bawa, who is also the chairman of Punjab State Industrial Development Corporation (PSIDC), said that it would be a âfight between pure and impure Congressmenâ. He said that currently the Congress was entangled in âputra mohâ (love for sons) and âbusy distributing tickets to sons and sons-in-law.â
âThe heavier your pocket is, the higher your chances of getting a ticket in Congress. Sadly my pocket is not deep enough and neither my father, grandfather or uncle is an MLA who can put in a word for me,â said Bawa, adding that he has decided to contest as an Independent after being denied ticket from Ludhiana South.
He said that he will not resign from the Congress as he devoted â40 long years of my lifeâ to keeping the flag of Congress party high.
âI am not just a member of the party. I am a stakeholder,â he said. While commenting on Congress fielding Ishwarjot Singh Cheema from Ludhiana South, Bawa called it âunfair allotmentâ and said that now he will fight from Ludhiana West where he lives. He will file his nomination papers on Tuesday. Cabinet minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu is Congress nominee from Ludhiana West.
Meanwhile, another senior Congress leader and chairman Punjab Medium Industry Development Board, Amarjeet Singh Tikka of Ludhiana, resigned from all posts and partyâs membership alleging that the party was âlosing its credibilityâ and âleaders who gave their entire life to the party were being sidelined.â
Earlier, four-time Samrala MLA Amrik Singh Dhillon filed nomination papers as an Independent after being denied ticket.
Former MLA and hotelier Jasbir Singh Khangura alias Jassi also resigned from Congress. He was one-time MLA from erstwhile Kila Raipur constituency of Ludhiana.
