Two days before the first meeting of the Congress’ state screening committee to shortlist candidates for the 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab, chief minister Amarinder Singh on Friday “cleared” the name of party’s Punjab chief Sunil Jakhar from the Gurdaspur constituency.

The candidates will be announced in a week, he said.

On Sunday, Amarinder, Jakhar and AICC general secretary in-charge of Punjab, Asha Kumari, along with AICC general secretary (organisation), KC Venugopal, will shortlist the names that will be sent to the central election committee (CEC) headed by Congress president Rahul Gandhi. Venugopal will be part of the screening exercise as AICC secretary looking after Punjab affairs, Harish Chaudhary, has been relieved of the charge after becoming a minister in Rajasthan.

In an inauguration spree ahead of poll code, Amarinder was in Gurdaspur district on Friday to “rededicate” the long- pending Shahpur Kandi project to the people. Jakhar counts its revival as his biggest achievement as MP.

In an interaction with mediapersons, Amarinder said sitting MP Jakhar would re-contest from Gurdaspur and anyone rebelling against the official nominees would be thrown out of the party. Later, a press statement reiterating this was also released.

An apparent snub to Rajya Sabha MP Partap Singh Bajwa, who had challenged Jakhar to go back to his home segment, Ferozepur, saying if the Punjab Congress was confident of accomplishing its “Mission 13” by winning all 13 Lok Sabha seats, leaders should prove their mettle by contesting from their own turf.

Bajwa has offered to give up his Rajya Sabha seat for former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, whose RS term expires in June this year, to seek re-election from Gurdaspur.

Amarinder led a relentless campaign to oust Bajwa as Punjab Congress chief and the two are not in good terms. A close aide of Bajwa said anybody has the right to seek a ticket and Amarinder threatening rebels every election with dire consequences only proves his autocratic style of functioning.

The CM also inaugurated a Pepsico plant and agreed to Jakhar’s demand for laying 60 kilometre new roads for the Dhar area by the Mandi Board, a government girls college for Jugial besides a sewerage project for Sujanpur.

Amarinder also dismissed reports of dissent within the Congress following Ferozepur MP Sher Singh Ghubaya’s entry into the party, saying all partymen would toe the line of the high command which will choose nominees based on winnability.

First Published: Mar 08, 2019 22:13 IST