GS Paul
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, October 26
With Capt Amarinder’s ouster from the Congress, decks have been cleared for PCC president Navjot Singh Sidhu to contest from Patiala in the 2022 Assembly elections. He may abandon the Amritsar East seat this time, but only for his wife Dr Navjot Kaur Sidhu.
Apparently due to his “over occupancy with the state issues” Sidhu could hardly spare time for his constituency. Even his “missing” posters, too, surfaced lately.
However, in his absence, Navjot Kaur has got active in the constituency, which she represented during the SAD-BJP rule in 2012. After inaugurating development works worth Rs 50 lakh each in Vallah and Mudhal village on October 23, she again inaugurated projects worth Rs 1.75 crore in Preet Nagar today.
Earlier, their daughter Rabia Sidhu inaugurated development works in Amritsar East on October 5, followed by works for beautification of parks in New Amritsar B-Block on October 14. Navjot Kaur had already shown her inclination to contest the elections from the East constituency only.
Launching a scathing attack on Capt Amarinder Singh, she said he remained passive for over four years during his stint as CM. When the party high command came into action, he started showing concern about Punjab and announced to float a new party.
About Captain’s declaration to defeat Sidhu, she dared him to contest from any seat. “No one can stop anyone’s elevation. It’s the people who give the mandate. Capt Amarinder’s MLAs, OSDs and leaders abandoned him due to his inaccessibility and non-performance,” she said.
Nonetheless, with Dr Sidhu’s activities, the prospects got blurred for other aspirants, including former Amritsar Improvement Trust chairman Dinesh Bassi and Mayor Karamjit Singh Rintu.
Bassi said he had got works worth Rs 61.47 crore, either executed or underway. “It is the party high command which decides the candidates. I will certainly claim my candidature for East constituency,” he said.
Mayor Rintu, who also took a keen interest in the constituency, claimed that works worth Rs 50 crore were executed or still underway in several pockets of the area. “Let the party decide from where I can contest the elections”, he said.
Other claimants
- Amritsar Improvement Trust former chairman Dinesh Bassi and Mayor Karamjit Singh Rintu have also shown a keen interest in contesting from Amritsar East constituency
- Bassi said: “It is the party high command which will take the final call. I will certainly claim my candidature for the East constituency.” Mayor Rintu said: “Let the party decide from where I can contest the elections”
Eyeing Amritsar East seat, Navjot Kaur Sidhu on inauguration spree
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