CHANDIGARH: The third list of candidates from the Congress for Punjab is out, and Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi will contest in two constituencies, with the party fielding him in Bhadaur seat. His candidature for home base Chamkaur Sahib figured in the first list. Both are reserved seats.
There is an apprehension that he might face tough fight from this seat as his name sake Charanjit Singh from AAP whom he defeated in the last polls with a margin of 12,308 votes seems to be stronger this time.
Representing Chamkaur Sahib since 2007, which is familiar turf for Channi, Bhadaur will be uncharted territory for the CM as well as Congress. In 2017, the Congress got only 20 per cent votes in the now AAP stronghold.
A party leader on condition of anonymity said, “CM Channi has expressed his desire to fight from any seat in the Doaba region but the party preferred he should fight from Bhadaur in the Malwa region and in Barnala district — which is the stronghold of AAP as it won all the three seats in the last elections.”
As per some poll surveys all the three seats from here, including Bhadaur, might go to the AAP this time too, thus prompting the Congress to field a heavyweight here.
The party leader said, “Pirmal Singh, former MLA and AAP leader who represented Bhadaur and Maur, had defected to the Congress last year. While he was promised a ticket from here, it looks like now he will have to support the campaign for Channi.”
Talking to this newspaper, Channi said, “It is the decision of the party high command to give me ticket from Bhadaur. This not a new precedent. In the last election, Amarinder Singh had fought from Patiala (Urban) and Lambi.”