VETERANS COMMENTS ON FORMATION OF FAUJI JANTA PARTY
From: Colonelrajan Srinivas <colonelrajan44@gmail .com>
Date: 17 August 2016 at 00:39
Subject: Formation of Fauji Janata Party
To: M V <militaryveterans@yahoogroups. com>, veteransindia <VeteransIndia@yahoogroups.com >, triserviceveterans@yahoogroups .com, TriShakti Group <TriServiceVeteransIndia@yahoo groups.com>, ExecutiveGpMilitaryVeteransInd ia <ExecutiveGpMilitaryVeteransIn dia@yahoogroups.com>Cc: satbir singh <satbirsm@gmail.com>, Maj Gen Satbir Singh SM <satbirsm@yahoo.com>, Gandhi VK Gp Capt <vk_gandhi@yahoo.com>, "CG-12- Gp Capt Gandhi.V.K." <vkgandhi@yahoo.com>, vkgandhi@gmail.com, Maj Gen Sudhir Vombatkere <sg9kere@live.com>
Date: 17 August 2016 at 00:39
Subject: Formation of Fauji Janata Party
To: M V <militaryveterans@yahoogroups.
Respected Veterans,
Jai Hind.
1. At the very outset, I must say, Maj Gen Satbir Singh, Chairman IESM and the leading light of Ex-Servicemen Movement, is an Hon’ble MAN, whose commitment to the cause is unparalleled; and, a MAN of unimpeachable integrity (Not that he requires a certificate from me. I say so, because of my close association with him since April 2008). I am one of the founding members of IESM alongwith Gen Satbir Singh; however, I quit IESM on account of differences in matters of Principle. That however does not take away the sheen or shine from Gen Satbir Singh.
2. Comments by Maj Gen SG Vombatkere on formation of Fauji Janata Party merits serious consideration.For those who do not know Maj Gen Vombatkere, it would suffice to say that he is not only a professional soldier; but also an erudite scholar, an ardent environmentalist, an avid nature lover and trekker, a committed activist fighting for causes in the interest of the Nation and its people; and above all, a great human being and a source of inspiration for Veterans like me.
3. Coming to the subject of formation of ‘Fauji Janata Party’, my views are as follows:
(a) In a Democracy, it is the inalienable right of all citizens (the term includes serving soldiers and Ex-Servicemen) to take part in Electoral process; except that, serving soldiers cannot form an Association or a political party. Electoral process means right to form a political party or belong to any political party or to vote for any political party one chooses.
(b) While Ex-Servicemen may or may not belong to one or the other Ex-Servicemen org, it is an accepted norm that all Ex-Servicemen Org remain apolitical, ie. do not align themselves with any political party; though individual Ex-Servicemen are at liberty to align themselves or belong to any political outfit or party.
(c) The bane of IESM is its Governing Body’s proclivity to take unilateral decisions without consulting the State Convenors and Members. It is one of the reasons I quit IESM in Dec 2010. I must most humbly submit to Gen Satbir Singh that the gathering of Ex-Servicemen at Jantar Mantar is just a gathering; and is not a Parliament of Ex-Servicemen to either approve Policy decisions or pass resolutions pertaining to matters concerning ESM Welfare.
(d) I agree with Gen Vombatkere that all important matters pertaining to major Policy Decisions or passing resolutions, must be discussed in the AGM or Emergency General Body Meeting.
(e) Given the standard practice and accepted norm that Ex-Servicemen org/outfits remain strictly apolitical, I submit the following:
(i) In case Gen Satbir Singh feels that there is a need to form a Political Party with the name, ‘Fauji Janata Party’; he is most welcome to do so as an individual alongwith a few more Veterans; and not as Chairman IESM.
(ii) In case Gen Satbir Singh is elected as President of ‘Fauji Janata Party’, in the fitness of things and to set a healthy precedent, he must relinquish the post of Chairman IESM. But in case he decides not to lead ‘Fauji Janata Party’ as its President or hold any office in the newly formed ‘Fauji Janata Party’, he is most welcome to continue as President IESM, provided elected in the AGM.
(iii) Veterans from all over the Country and abroad have contributed large sums of money to IESM for furtherance of IESM’s struggle for grant of OROP; and not for forming a political party or for funding a political party or to indulge in political activities.
(iv) Though it is easy to form a political party, one must understand that it requires humongous sums of money, 99% of it in ‘Black’, to fight elections.
(v) I am not discouraging Gen Satbir Singh & Co from forming a political party or to take part in elections. All that I am saying is that they must carry out a SWOT analysis before they take any considered decision.
(vi) Gen Satbir Singh must factor in the reality that, Ex-Servicemen whether Officers or JCOs & OR are a selfish lot, who lack pride in themselves. ‘Ex-Servicemen sab Khudgarz hain. Yeh siraf Malaai chaat ne ke liye thaiyaar hai; par, kaam karne ke liye nahi”. This statement would be borne out by the fact that out of 4000 retired Officers and 33,000 retired JCOs & OR settled down in & around Bangalore, only 50-75 officers and 100-150 JCOs & OR attend the Commemoration Ceremony on Kargil Diwas (26 July) and on Vijay Diwas (16 Dec).
(vii) I am not too confident that Ex-Servicemen would turn up in large numbers even to vote. I feel so, because Ex-Servicemen as a fraternity do not feel they are stake holders in any election. ‘Chalta hai’ attitude is their creed.
(viii) Elections are a numbers game. If you cannot garner Ex-Servicemen vote in huge numbers, not in hundreds but in thousands, in each & every district, no political party will even look at you; forget about aligning with ‘Fauji Janata Party’. Again, I wish to reiterate that I am not here to dissuade Gen Satbir Singh from forming ‘Fauji Janata Party’. I am only playing the ‘Devil’s Advocate’.
(ix) Now coming to the question of funding ‘Fauji Janata Party’. I am confident that retired Officers and JCOs & OR (and their equivalents in the Navy & Air Force) will come forward in large numbers, from all over the Country, to contribute to ‘Fauji Janata Party’. My experience has been that there is never a dearth of funds.
4. I now leave it to the collective wisdom of Gen Satbir Singh & Co to take a considered decision on the formation of ‘Fauji Janata Party’; and pass a resolution not to use the funds donated to IESM for any political activity/activities.
Regards,
Col Rajan
Bangalore, 9449043770
SECOND COMMEMNT: Maj Gen Sudhir Vombatkere
---- Forwarded message ----------
From: Maj Gen Sudhir Vombatkere <sg9kere@live.com>
From: Maj Gen Sudhir Vombatkere <sg9kere@live.com>
<triservicesveterans@yahoogrou ps.com>
Date: 11 August 2016 at 17:40
Subject: Re: [triservicesveterans] Will soon launch a 'Fauji Janata Party : Maj Gen Satbir Singh (Rtd)
To: "triservicesveterans@yahoogrou ps.com" <triservicesveterans@yahoogrou ps.com>
Cc: "satbirsm@yahoo.com" <satbirsm@yahoo.com>
The Centre on Wednesday appointed former Rajya Sabha MP and BJP leader VP Singh Badnore as the Punjab Governor.
The 68-year-old Badnore, who hails from Rajasthan, is also associated with Mayo College, Ajmer.
Haryana Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki was holding the additional charge of Punjab after Shivraj Patil’s term ended last year.
Former IAS officer and Kerala BJP leader Alphons Kannanthanam has been appointed as the Chandigarh Administrator. Reports say that in a departure from the past, Kannanthanam will serve only as the head of the Union Territory of Chandigarh, and not also as Punjab Governor, which has been the practice so far.
Former Union minister and BJP leader Najma Heptulla has been appointed the Manipur Governor.
Banwarilal Purohit, a three-time MP from Nagpur and managing editor of Central India’s daily ‘The Hitavada’, will be the Assam Governor while Delhi-based BJP leader and former MLA Prof Jagdish Mukhi was appointed Lt Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, according to a Rashtrapati Bhavan communique.
Heptulla, 76, had last month resigned as the Minority Affairs Minister from the Union Cabinet. The resignation had come as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is believed to have set an unwritten writ of ‘75-year age bar’ for ministers.
Meghalaya Governor V Shanmuganathan was holding the additional charge as Manipur Governor. Nagaland Governor Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya was holding additional charge as Assam Governor, a post which will now be assumed by the 76-year-old Purohit.
Prof Jagdish Mukhi, who has been a Delhi MLA from Janakpuri, has been appointed as Lt Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, the communique said. The 73-year-old Mukhi has been appointed in place of Lt General AK Singh (retd), it said. Agencies
Mann said the Badals and Bikram Majitha would be put behind bars if AAP came to power in the state. “Badals are not bigger than (Muammar) Gaddafi, after all. They will be seen in jail after few months,” he said. The Sangrur MP said his suspension from Parliament was a conspiracy of the SAD, BJP and the Congress, as he just wanted to show people through his video that only a handful MPs were allowed to speak in Parliament through the lucky draw system.
“People have been asking why I am not raising their issues in Parliament. I told them that my name has not appeared in the lucky draw. I made the video to back my claim. Since my suspension not a single issue concerning Punjab has been raised,” he said.
Flaying the state government’s flagship Atta-Dal scheme, he said while youths wanted jobs, the Akalis gave them Atta-Dal. He said the remaining party candidates would be declared by the end of September.
The surge of Aam Admi Party (AAP) and factionalism within the party have failed to dampen the spirit of Congress ticket-seekers for the 2017 Assembly elections
The PPCC has received nearly 1,600 applications for the 117 constituencies, around 14 per constituency. The last date to submit the application ended last evening.
The party collected over Rs1 crore as application money. The application fee for general category was Rs10,000 and for reserved category Rs5,000. Sources said the figure could vary a little as the applications received late evening were being processed.
PPCC chief Capt Amarinder Singh and Punjab affairs incharge Asha Kumari said it was an overwhelming response. “A large number of persons seeking party ticket is a positive sign. During the 2012 Assembly elections, the party had received 1,450 applications,” he said.
CLP leader Charanjit Channi, said he was getting a survey done from a Delhi-based agency.
State party leaders meet Rahul
New Delhi: Punjab Congress leaders, including Capt Amarinder Singh, Ambika Soni and Asha Kumari on Tuesday met party vice-president Rahul Gandhi at the latter’s residence. Also present was party strategist Prashant Kishor. Rahul took stock of the ongoing campaign plans. There were discussions on the future programmes with the door-to-door planned as a major Congress outreach using the slogan, “Ghar Ghar Congress, Har Ghar Congress”, in the coming days. The Punjab Congress has also planned agitations on various issues. Partap Bajwa will start his pro-farmer agitation from August 26 in Gurdaspur.
Not in touch with Gandhi, Khalsa: Capt
Amid reports of suspended AAP MPs Dharamvira Gandhi and HS Khalsa being in touch with the Congress, Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh on Tuesday said: "I will be happy to look at such a proposal. But the AAP members are not in touch with us nor have we talked to them. This matter wasn't discussed at the meeting with Rahul." — Aditi Tandon
The police officials, who allowed the leader get into the Gypsy, may also face probe for not stopping the leader.
Patran SDM GS Sahota has written to the Patiala DC against the breach of protocol, stating that the lapse was on the part of the security personnel that let the Akali leader reach the Gypsy.
Sources confirmed that after the flag hoisting ceremony by the SDM, the Akali leader, without bothering about the ceremony and the sentiments attached with it, reached near the Gypsy just before the SDM was to leave for the inspection of the parade. “The police and other officials initially did not stop him but later when they realised their mistake, they requested him to get off the vehicle,” they said.
“We are looking into the incident and strict action will be taken against those found guilty. I have marked a probe into the incident to ADC (General) Mohinder Pal. He will seek a complete report from the Patran administration,” DC Ramvir Singh said. Brass could not be contacted despite repeated efforts.
Date: 11 August 2016 at 17:40
Subject: Re: [triservicesveterans] Will soon launch a 'Fauji Janata Party : Maj Gen Satbir Singh (Rtd)
To: "triservicesveterans@yahoogrou
Cc: "satbirsm@yahoo.com" <satbirsm@yahoo.com>
Dear Veterans and fellow members of IESM,
Maj Gen Satbir Singh needs to come out and respond to the call of several IESM members (including myself) who object to using the IESM name, platform and funds to launch "Fauji Janata Party".
This also calls for a GBM of IESM, since the bulk of IESM members are not privy to these e-mail exchanges.
In more detail, I voice my objection that IESM was formed as a non-political platform to advance the interests of ESM, and focused on achieving OROP. This basic premise will be violated by formation of "Fauji Janata Party" (FJP for short). I am horrified to read in these e-mails (I do not know how far it is fact) that FJP will align with a major political party, possibly BJP. Aligning with one or other political party will happen at sometime if not now, in any case ... a solution is to remove the word "Fauji" from the party name, as one Veteran in this exchange has suggested.
Accordingly I am Cc:-ing Maj Gen Satbir Singh herewith at <satbirsm@yahoo.com>, and hope that it is his current e-mail ID, and will expect him to respond.
Sudhir Vombatkere
(Maj Gen S.G.Vombatkere)
Member, IESM
THIRD COMMENT ::AVM RAMESH KARNIK
From: AVM Ramesh Karnik <rameshkarnik@hotmail.com> [ExecutiveGpMilitaryVeteransIn dia] <ExecutiveGpMilitaryVeteransIn dia@yahoogroups.com>
Date: 17 August 2016 at 09:16
Subject: Re: [ExecutiveGpMilitaryVeteransIn dia] Formation of Fauji Janata Party
To: "ExecutiveGpMilitaryVeteransIn dia@yahoogroups.com" <ExecutiveGpMilitaryVeteransIn dia@yahoogroups.com>
Date: 17 August 2016 at 09:16
Subject: Re: [ExecutiveGpMilitaryVeteransIn
To: "ExecutiveGpMilitaryVeteransIn
Respected Veteran Friends,
Though forming a political party is a democratic right, I am afraid, the FJP idea will work more against the interest of Faujis than serve their cause. The reasons are:
1. In a constituency, even if a large number of voters are faujis, you have to seek votes of all voters for your candidate if you want to win, In such a case, you will have to spell out your policies on "all issues" not merely confined to esm.
2. That means, you will have to come out with your policy towards, economic issues, reservations, minorities, Kashmir, education, local issues, womens' reservations, and many more such national issues.
3. When you spell out, the faujis will definitely have different views and reaching consensus may be very difficult, may be impossible. Hence, ab initio, the fauji unity will be sacrificed!
4. You will have to indulge in competitive and stage-managed political 'dramas' for media attention which will cause fall in the respect for veterans have in the eyes of the common citizens.
The solution is to fight our cause only through a-political Association, as it is now, and allow individuals to join parties of their choice and then through those parties, fight for us. Thus, we can have our reps in all parties to protect pure and simple fauji interest. That is a better bet than disunity among st us at the very beginning of the formation of a political party.
Warm regards
KR Karnik
Veteran
9945273882
VP Singh Badnore appointed Punjab Governor
New Delhi, August 17
POLITICS TAKES CENTRESTAGE AT ISSRU
AAP a seasonal crop, says Badal
Gurminder Singh Grewal & Gurvinder Singh
The occasion to mark the martyrdom day of Karnail Singh Issru at Issru village turned into a political battlefield as political parties hijacked the occasion to flay each other at their rallies held here yesterday.
At SAD conference, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal attacked AAP, calling it a seasonal crop. He said AAP had grown up like mushrooms burgeoned. “They have no concern about Punjab and its people. Their advocate had said in court that if all water remained with Punjab, it would lead to division of the country,” he alleged.
“You must know who is your own and who is a stranger. Neither is their background known nor have they fought for the country. The rejected politicians of other parties are running towards it (AAP),” Badal said.
Badal held the Congress responsible for the construction of the SYL canal and deprivation of Punjab of its capital.
“It was Indira Gandhi who laid the foundation of the canal and Amarinder Singh and his fellows supported it and even distributed sweets. We protested the development and courted arrest on the matter,” he claimed.
“The Congress has done religious, political and economic harm to Punjab. Anyone voting in favour of the Congress will be approving its act of attacking Akal Takht with tanks,” he said.
Speaking about the government’s achievements, he said no other government had given benefits to the common man the way they did. “The SAD-BJP government gave free power to farmers and paid power bills worth Rs50,000 crore on their behalf,” he said.
Tribune News Service
Khanna, August 16
Will put Badals behind bars: AAP
Tribune News Service
Khanna, August 16
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) held its rally at a venue located 2 km away from the village. AAP leaders Bhagwant Mann and Sucha Singh Chhotepur spoke against the SAD-BJP government. 1,600 apply for Cong tickets; over Rs1 cr collected as fee
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, August 16
SAD leader breaches protocol in Patran
Gets into SDM’s Gypsy during inspection of I-Day parade
Aman Sood
Tribune News Service
Patiala, August 16
The Patran administration is under the scanner after Shiromani Akali DAl (SAD) leader and Block Samiti Chairman Sukhwinder Singh Brass allegedly rode on the official Gypsy meant for the chief guest during the Independence Day function for some time before he was asked to get off. DC orders probe
- Patran SDM GS Sahota has written to the Patiala DC against the breach of protocol, stating that the lapse was on the part of the security personnel that let the Akali leader reach the Gypsy.
- “We are looking into the incident and strict action will be taken against those found guilty. I have marked a probe into the incident to ADC (General) Mohinder Pal. He will seek a complete report from the Patran administration,” DC Ramvir Singh said.
Employees attached with ‘sacked’ CPSes face demotion
AUGUST 12 HC VERDICT LEAVES NO CHOICE BUT TO DOWNGRADE 54 PVT SECYS, PAs AND STENOGRAPHERS
CHANDIGARH: In an indirect fallout of the August 12 Punjab and Haryana high court verdict, 54 officials in the rank of private secretary (PS), personal assistant (PA), and stenographer attached with Punjab’s 18 sacked chief parliamentary secretaries (CPSes) are also set to be demoted.
After the Parkash Singh Badal-led Akali-BJP government rehabilitated the legislators as CPSes, extra posts of PS and PA were created. The employees of the personal-staff cadre — in which the entry-level post is of steno-typist and the top post of senior special secretary (to minister, in the rank of joint secretary) — were promoted at different levels to serve the CPSes.
Now, the post of the CPS ceases to exist after the high court has set aside these appointments and these employees have become “surplus” in their cadre (where their offices don’t exist) and it will have to downgrade them to absorb them.
The government had posted a PS, PA, and stenographer each with every CPS, besides two clerks and three peons —a staff of eight to take care of clerical and other mundane issues. “The re-jig has become unavoidable after the high court verdict. We will have to demote 54 employees... which will lead to the more demotions in the personal staff cadre,” an officer of the general administration department (GAD) said.The “reverse gear” will make PS-rank official PA, while the personal assistants will be redesignated as senior-scale stenographer. “This... will upset the entire cadre and there is no way to maintain status quo. The chain reaction will affect even the lowest steno typist,” an official, engaged in this exercise started on Monday, said. WHAT THEY GET
In Punjab, the Badal government appointed 18 CPSes after it came to power in 2012, and replaced one and added six recently, taking the number to 24. It pays the CPSes `40,000 a month, besides sumptuary allowance (`5,000); compensatory allowance (`5,000); constituency, secretarial and postal facilities allowance (`25,000), and other perks that take the salary close to `1.5 lakh. The real cost is the daily allowance and mileage allowance (for private vehicle used for official purpose) at `15 per kilometre. Also, the government has attached an escort vehicle with every CPS, irrespective of any threat, and this security is an added expense.
As Monday was the first working day after the verdict, the government was yet to withdraw these facilities from the legislators who are now enjoying the CPS status illegally. Outside the empty offices of the CPSes in the Civil Secretariat, it was business as usual — a battery of well-paid peons sitting idle along with other members of the personal staff. The big nameplates of the booted-out CPSes still hang outside their offices. “We will take necessary steps,” said an officer of the GAD. “This is how the government functions.”
First AAP list still irks, second ready
PARTY’S CAMPAIGN AND SCREENING PANELS MEET TO CLEAR POTENTIAL NAMES FOR ANOTHER 12 TO 15 SEATS
CHANDIGARH: Even as fighting continues in the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) over some names on the first list of candidates for the 2017 assembly polls, a second list is coming out by the weekend.
The party’s campaign and screening committees met on Monday evening to clear potential candidates for another 12 to 15 seats. The political affairs committee headed by party convener Arvind Kejriwal will discuss the names in Delhi on Wednesday. The first list of 19 released on August 5 made the AAP first party to declare contenders almost six months before the contest.
The second list is likely to include Aman Arora from Sunam, moneybag candidate of the Congress from 2012. From Nabha, Canadian NRI Dev Mann is tipped to be named. Party’s Patiala zone in-charge Dr Balbir Singh is likely to be projected from Sanour, while Anu Randhawa, daughter of late Congress leader Jasjit Randhawa, might get the seat from Ghanaur. She moved to AAP in March after Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh apparently backed Madan Lal Jalalpur from Ghanaur. Harpal Cheema is likely candidate from Sangrur.State AAP convener Sucha Singh Chhotepur, who differs with the first list, had skipped the press conference in which it was released, and later sought a meeting with Kejriwal for a review of some candidates. “I am awaiting a response. I’ll meet him when he calls me,” said Chhotepur. His aide Hardip Singh Kingra, a former bureaucrat, had quit the party before the first list came out, Party volunteers protested at several places after the list came out.
In Sahnewal, the party suspended three volunteers for opposing the candidature of the party’s youth wing president, Harjot Singh Bains. After his name was declared, they had carried placards saying: “Harjot Bains go back.” Last week, volunteers from Ludhiana South sought a review of the candidature of Ahbaab Singh Grewal, alleging corruption in the gathering of party fund. Ticket aspirants from SAS Nagar have resolved not to support Himmat Singh Shergill.
At Payal, party men burnt an effigy of candidate Gurpreet Singh Lapran. Arjuna Award recipient and former international basketball player Sajjan Singh Cheema, chosen to contest from Sultanpur Lodhi, also faces protest. In Talwandi, party workers have threatened to field a parallel candidate against AAP women’s wing leader Baljinder Kaur, in case she is picked. She is accused of usurping land. In March, the party workers sent a complaint against her to the AAP leadership in Delhi.
Mother-son, father-son, grandfather-grandson: Congress can have its pick for Punjab elections
YOUTH POWER Rahul, Amarinder’s diktat of ‘one family, one ticket’, more tickets to youth has legislators, sons, grandsons all trying their luck
Both me and my son have applied. It is up to the party to decide if me or he or we both are winnable candidates. LAL SINGH, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee vice-president
CHANDIGARH: The “one family, one ticket” diktat has not deterred the kith and kin of Congress leaders from throwing their hat in the election ring. In fact, the promise of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi and Punjab state chief Captain Amarinder Singh of giving at least 30 seats to youths has resulted in three generations of political families applying for the ticket.
The list of the nearly 1,600 ticket applicants – higher than 1,450 in 2012 polls – has mostly youths. The last date for submitting applications ended on August 15.
Belying expectations that the new norm of “two voters per booth” for ticket aspirants will bring down the number of contenders – Amarinder had said the norm would weed out non-serious candidates – the promise of more seats to youth, more Hindu faces in urban seats and only “one family, one ticket” has led to a jump in the numbers.
Interestingly, the “one family, one ticket” rule in some cases has grandfather, son and grandson all trying their luck. Samrala MLA Amrik Dhillon (74) has applied from his seat, so has his son Kamaljit Dhillon (52) and grandson Karanvir Dhillon, 25. Amrik says everyone has a right to apply and it is up to the party high command to choose who they want to field. “If they do not want to field a 74-yearold like me, they can choose my son. If they want a young face, they can choose my grandson,” he adds. While Kamaljit has been a treasurer of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC), Karanvir is an MBA from the UK.The other father-son duo in the list of aspirants are PPCC vice-president Lal Singh and his son Rajinder Singh. While Lal Singh has applied for his Sanour seat, his son has applied for the Samana seat in Patiala district.
When contacted, Lal Singh said, “Both me and my son have applied. It is up to the party to decide if I, he or we both are winnable candidates. “The Samana seat was in 2012 polls unsuccessfully contested by Amarinder’s son Raninder Singh, who has not applied for a ticket nor has Amarinder’s wife and Patiala (urban) MLA Preneet Kaur. Amarinder is the only applicant from this seat this time too.
SBS Nagar MLA Guriqbal Kaur, who was allotted the ticket after the demise of her husband Parkash Singh before the 2012 polls, has applied from her seat, so has her son Angad Singh. The 25-year-old says he used to look after his mother’s constituency. “If the party decides to field a young face, it can choose me and if a woman, it can choose my mother,” he said. Guriqbal is learnt to be keen to pass the baton on to her son.
Then, there are some old pairs. Senior leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal has applied from her seat Lehragaga and her son-in-law Vikram Bajwa from Sahnewal.
There is also some change in paring within the family. In Qadian seat, Rajya Sabha MP Partap Singh Bajwa’s MLA wife Charanjit Bajwa has not applied for the ticket and has left it for her brother-in-law Fateh Jang Bajwa.
But, some “son-rises will have to wait. Guru Har Sahai MLA Rana Gurmeet Sodhi, whose son Hira Sodhi too was keen to contest, has decided to stick to the new norm.
“It sends a wrong message if both me and my father had applied for the ticket. We want to concentrate on one seat and win it,” Sodhi said.
The highest number of contenders is from seats with no sitting MLAs and most of them are youths. Some senior MLAs such as Lal Singh and Sunil Jakhar too are the sole contenders from their seats.
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