Manohar Singh said that he will talk to his brother Charanjit Singh Channi and tell his decision.
Chandigarh:
In what is seen as the most significant rebellion within the Congress, weeks ahead of the Punjab elections, Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi’s younger brother Dr Manohar Singh has announced that he will contest as an independent candidate from the Bassi Pathana constituency.
Mr Singh was denied ticket from the constituency because of the party’s “one family, one ticket” rule. Mr Channi is yet to react to the announcement. Bassi Pathana falls in the Puadh cultural region of Punjab and is seen as the home ground of Mr. Channi and his community.
The Congress in its first list of 86 candidates on Saturday gave Bassi Pathana ticket to its sitting MLA Gurpreet Singh GP.
Manohar Singh termed the Congress’ decision to give ticket to Gurpreet Singh GP an “injustice” to the people of the constituency and alleged that the sitting MLA was “incompetent and ineffective”.
Manohar Singh told news agency PTI, “Many prominent people of Bassi Pathana region have asked me to fight as an independent and I will go by what they have said. There is no chance of going back and I will definitely I will contest elections from phone.
Mr Singh had resigned as a senior medical officer from Kharar Civil Hospital in August last year.
He said that he decided to contest as an independent after meeting several councillors, village sarpanch and panch who had asked him to contest.
“People told me that giving him (Gurpreet Singh GP) ticket was wrong. He had done nothing earlier and now he has been imposed again,” Singh said.
Mr. Singh said that he would talk to his brother Mr. Channi and explain his decision.
Last year, Punjab Congress chief Navjot Singh Sidhu had inaugurated the election office of Gurpreet Singh GP in Bassi Pathana constituency.
Voting for 117 assembly seats in Punjab will be held on February 14 and counting of votes will take place on March 10.
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