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Journalism of Courage
The first list of Congress candidates for Punjab Assembly polls was delayed on Thursday after differences over finalised names came to the fore during a virtual meeting of the central election committee (CEC) chaired by party chief Sonia Gandhi.
The list was expected on Thursday, as the Congress screening committee had already reached a consensus on over 60 candidates.
Sources said while leaders in various screening committee meetings had kept quiet about finalising of candidates, the differences were aired strongly before the CEC by Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, state party chief Navjot Singh Sidhu and former state unit chief Sunil Jakhar. “There were several seats where the screening committee had sent the finalised candidate’s name. Once the CEC started taking up names, these three leaders started airing objections,” a source said.
Sonia is learnt to have asked them why they had put up the list to CEC if there was no consensus. “She told Jakhar that this is not the platform to raise the issues and asked them to come with a final list on Friday,” the source said. It is learnt that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was just observing during the CEC proceedings. He spoke only towards the end, asking the screening committee to review all the seats so that no one with anti-incumbency gets an election ticket. The next meeting of CEC is likely on Friday now. Sources said Sidhu had objections on many finalised candidates.
