Senior Punjab Congress leader and former MP Mohinder Singh Kaypee on Sunday expressed his displeasure over denial of ticket from Adampur assembly seat saying his family is targeted by the party every election.In its first list of 86 candidates, the Congress on Saturday gave ticket to Sukhwinder Singh Kotli from Adampur seat in Jalandhar.
Kotli, a dissident Bahujan Samaj Party leader, had last month joined the Congress.Kaypee, a former Punjab Congress chief, said he had been working in the Admapur assembly constituency for the last five years.“But the party gave the ticket to a person who joined the Congress just 20 days back,” said Kaypee.“Whenever election comes, the Kaypee family is targeted in some way or another, be it shifting (of seat), or denying ticket … ,” said Kaypee while talking to reporters.“Our family made sacrifices and those who have made no sacrifice are getting three-three tickets,” he claimed.Kaypee said that earlier he was denied the ticket for contesting the Lok Sabha polls.“I worked in Admapur for five years and now they say, you will not fight from here,” he said.Another Congress leader Balwinder Singh Laddi, who was denied ticket from Sri Hargobindpur seat, said that he was sad that the promise of a ticket made to him was not fulfilled.
Laddi had joined the BJP along with MLA Fatehjang Bajwa on December 28 but a few days later he left the saffron party and returned to the Congress fold.“When I returned our senior leaders including Harish Chaudhary (AICC Punjab affairs in-charge), chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi and some other leaders told me that you will fight (elections),” he said.He appealed to the party high command to review its decision.The Congress gave ticket to Mandeep Singh from Sri Hargobindpur assembly seat.The Congress denied tickets to four sitting legislators in its first list of 86 candidates, which was released on Saturday, for the February 14 Punjab assembly polls.Moga MLA Harjot Kamal Saturday left the Congress and joined the BJP after he was denied the ticket.
The Congress has fielded Malvika Sood Sachar, sister of actor-philanthropist Sonu Sood.On Saturday, former Punjab minister Joginder Singh Mann joined the Aam Aadmi Party after snapping his 50-year-old ties with the Congress.
