Congress leaders ignore 'one family, one ticket' rule, seek nomination for kin

PATIALA: To ensure fair distribution of tickets, the Congress had introduced a ‘one family, one ticket’ rule during the 2017 assembly elections, but things have changed now and leaders have fallen back on dynastic politics, with many ministers and leaders pushing for tickets for their sons, daughters and even relatives in Punjab.

For the 13 Lok Sabha seats, the Punjab Congress has received 184 applications. Cabinet minister Rana Gurmit Sodhi and son Anumit Hira Sodhi have both applied for the party ticket to from Ferozepur, cabinet ministers Sadhu Singh Dharamsot and Brahm Mohindra are also finding ways for their sons to enter politics. While Dharamsot’s son Gurjeet Singh has applied for the ticket from Fatehgarh Sahib, Mohindra’s son Mohit is hoping to an aspirant from Bathinda .

At Hoshiarpur , former Union Minister and three-time MP Santosh Chaudhary is lobbying for a ticket for his daughter, Namita. MLA Kulbir Zira and his father, former minister Inderjit Singh Zira, have filed their papers from Khadoor Sahib. Former minister Jagmohan Kang’s son Yadwinder Singh Kang has also applied for Anandpur Sahib seat.

There are exceptions too. Four-time legislator Randeep Singh Nabha — who has applied for the party ticket from Patiala Lok Sabha seat — said he was hopeful of the high-command considering him from Patiala under the policy. At present, CM Amarinder Singh’s wife, three-time MP Preneet Kaur, is one of the hopefuls from the seat. However, she is not eligible under the policy.