New Delhi: With less than a month left for the crucial Assembly elections in Punjab, which is set to witness a three-cornered contest for the first time, hectic political activity is on in the Congress party to officially rope in former BJP MP and noted cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu and release the third list of remaining 40 candidates.
Sources said both the crucial issues would be finalised in the next 72 hours. Punjab goes to polls on February 4 and the formal notification for the Assembly election would be issued on January 11.
This leaves little time for the Congress party to get its act together as it is hoping to return to power after nearly 10 years. Punjab is headed for a keen triangular contest between the Congress, Aam Aadmi Party and the ruling Akali Dal-BJP combine, which while defying the electoral trend in the state for the first time, retained power in 2012 elections.
Sources said the Congress is keen that Mr Sidhu should contest Assembly elections from the Amritsar East constituency, which was represented by his wife, Navjot Kaur Sidhu, in the last election.
Incidentally, byelections for the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat, which fell vacant following the resignation of state Congress chief Capt. Amarinder Singh, will also be held on February 4. Mr Sidhu may also contest the Assembly elections only, as the Congress feel this would help its poll prospects.
