Congress delays list of candidates for Punjab polls, ticket aspirants camping in Delhi

Chandigarh: So far, no party has fielded candidates in all 13 seats in Punjab. Neither Congress nor Akali Dal has released a single list, while the Aam Aadmi Party has released a list of 9 candidates, and the BJP has fielded 6 candidates.

In the recent Congress list released on Sunday, April 7, no candidate was declared for any seat in Punjab. There are 6 seats held by Congress in Punjab, where 2 or more claims have been presented, and 3 seats where three or more candidates are vying for tickets.

Besides Punjab MPs, other contenders are also camping in Delhi, all engaged in maneuvering for tickets. This year, veteran Congress leaders have staked claims on all 9 seats for which the party has not made a decision yet. Any discontentment from one faction could potentially harm the party.

Consequently, the party has initiated efforts to resolve infighting before announcing candidates for any seat. The responsibility of managing the situation in Punjab has been assigned to Punjab President Devendra Yadav.

Meanwhile, elections in the country are scheduled in 7 phases this time, with Punjab going to polls in the seventh phase on June 1, and the gazetted notification scheduled for May 7. With ample time on hand, Congress aims to divert its focus towards other states for now, a senior Congress leader said.