Amritsar Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) MP Navjot Singh Sidhu, who is seeking an assembly ticket for his wife Dr Navjot Kaur from Amritsar (East) is facing tough competition from another strong contender, Chairman Punjab State Small Industries and Export Corporation (PSSIEC) Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina. Chhina is close to BJP top brass and has good rapport with Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal and Youth Akali Dal (YAD) President Bikram Singh Majithia.
Party sources said that Sidhu had not been keen to get a ticket for his wife but after Chinna began trying for the ticket Sidhu started backing his wife. Sidhu and Chhina have not been on good terms ever since Sidhu opposed Chhina as Chairman of Amritsar Improvement Trust in 2009 and got him replaced with Sanjiv Khanna, a person close to Sidhu.
Party sources said that the party high command was aware of Sidhu’s intentions and might not lend their support and backing to Dr Navjot Kaur this time as Sidhu’s move is being seen as nepotism. In addition, since delimitation some rural area also included in the Amritsar East constituency are in favour of Chinna as he has a rural background. “Due to inclusion of rural areas, the party may need Shiromani Akali Dal support and Chhina is close to SAD,” said party sources. Apart from Chinna, other leaders – Tarun Chugh, Sanjiv Khanna and Rajesh Honey, who are also demanding ticket, do not have much weight to throw against the opposition leaders during the elections.
BJP announces creation of Election Campaign Committee Chandigarh: The Punjab unit of BJP, on Wednesday, announced its Election Campaign Committee for the forthcoming Punjab Vidhan Sabha elections next month. The committee will have National Secretary BJP and MP Navjot Singh Sidhu as its convener with Former Punjab Minister Balram Das Tandon, Former Union Minister Vinod Khanna and MP Rajya Sabha Avinash Rai Khanna as members. “On Thursday, the committee will plan and strategise campaign for the Vidhan Sabha elections,” said Ashwani Sharma, President, BJP Punjab. He added that other committees related to poll management and coordination will be declared within a day or two.
News Source: Times of India
