Chandigarh Lok Sabha elections are scheduled for polling on May 19, while the results will be announced by May 23.
While speculations are rife that Congress leader Pawan Bansal is likely to be fielded from Chandigarh, Congress leader and contender Navjot Kaur Sidhu claimed that Congress party chief, Rahul Gandhi, will decide the name of the candidate in the CEC meeting, which hasn’t been convened till now.
Sidhu asserted that she is hopeful of getting the ticket. ‘’I am a woman representative of the party. Besides, I have done a lot of work here and have a clean image”.
Talking to Chandigarh Newsline, Navjot Kaur said, “ No name has been sent with any kind of preference. The screening committee has sent three names and all these three names are equal. The central election committee, in which even Rahul Gandhi is a member, will decide who is to get the ticket from here. That committee hasn’t met to discuss the name of candidate from Chandigarh till now. It is immaterial to comment as of now. The situation on ground is as it is. No matter who gets the ticket, Congress should win”
Sidhu added that she has been going around meeting people and she has been getting “a very good response”
“Last night, I met people at Makhanmajra and will be meeting with people in Sector 35. Tonight, there is a meeting with industrialists as well,’’ she said.
When told that Bansal’s team was in process of making a manifesto, she said, “Wo farak nahi padta…main bhi jahan ja rahi hun logon ko bata rahi hun ki main kya kya karvaungi unke liye…it doesnt mean ki abhi mera pakka ho gaya ya kisi or ka (That does not matter. Wherever I am going, even I am telling people what all I will do for their benefit. This does not mean that I, or anyone else, is a confirmed candidate)….I have been working and will continue to work for people of Chandigarh.”
On whether she was hopeful of getting the ticket, she said, “ I should get it. I am hopeful…I am a female face and Chandigarh is an ideal place for fielding a woman candidate. There hasn’t been a woman representation from here”
About her being tagged as an outsider by some people, Kaur said Pawan Bansal himself is from Tapa mandi. “ How am I an outsider when I have worked here? I am a doctor and had my head office here. Navjot is a minister and works seven days from here. How are we outsiders? Pawan Bansal, too, came from Tapa mandi,” she stated.
The screening committee has sent names of Pawan Bansal, Manish Tewari and Navjot Sidhu to the central election committee for the ticket from Chandigarh.
Chandigarh Lok Sabha elections are scheduled for polling on May 19, while the results will be announced by May 23.