Punjab: Congress forms panel to choose candidates

The Congress has finalised the names for its screening committee to shortlist candidates for the Punjab Assembly polls.

Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot is the chairman, and Lok Sabha MP Rajiv Satav and former MP Meenakshi Natrajan are members. Three others — Punjab in-charge Asha Kumari, Punjab Congress Legislature Party leader Charnjit Channi and Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh — will be ex officio members.

Sources said the Congress is in talks with Navjot Singh Sidhu’s Aawaz-e-Punjab for a mutually beneficial arrangement in the poll-bound state. The Congress wants Mr Sidhu’s outfit to merge with it, while the latter wants an alliance.

With the party announcing its screening committee, it is sending a signal that the terms of trade are in its favour.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi will soon campaign across Punjab. The party is also preparing its election manifesto which will be launched by former prime minister Manmohan Singh. The Congress feels Dr Singh has a connect with voters in Punjab.

The party is distributing loan-waiver forms to farmers across the state. At least 13 campaign trucks are touring Punjab, focusing on the dalit vote bank; they constitute 31 per cent of Punjab’s population.

The basic thrust of the Congress’s campaign is farm loan waiver, both from banks and money lenders.

Getting rid of drug trafficking and ensuring jobs to the youth are other focus areas. The screening committee is expected to meet early November to shortlist candidates. After this, the Congress’s central election committee headed by party president Sonia Gandhi will take a final call on the candidates.