Congress has fielded a liquor businessman and Chief Minister (CM). Charanjit Singh ChanniVijay Sharma, a close confidant of the party, from Tinku Kharar, while the party tried its old hand with Deepinder Singh Dhillon from Dera Bassi.
The contest in Kharar was between lawyer Natarajan Kaushal and Vijay Sharma Tinku but the party chose the latter. Both are considered close to Channi. The party ignored former cabinet minister Jagmohan Singh Kang, who lost the election in 2017 Aam Aadmi PartyK (AAP) defeated Kanwar Sandhu by a margin of around 1,900 votes.
“In the municipal elections held in 2021, the party had a disappointing performance, it lost in Nayagaon, it failed to make it MC president in Kharar, this was one of the reasons why Kang was not given a ticket, he failed in the party after the defeat. To instill confidence in the workers,” said a Congress leader from Kharar.
However, Kang accused Channi of removing him as a candidate. He alleged that Channi had given negative feedback about him. “The high command was on my side but Channi came in the way,” Kang told the media. Kang was demanding ticket for his son Yadwinder Singh who was in Youth Congress. In Dera Bassi, the party reposed faith in Deepinder Dhillon, who had lost in 2017 to SAD’s NK Sharma by a margin of nearly 2,000 votes.
Party sources said the party did not want to upset Dhillon, despite his closeness to the family of former CM Captain Amarinder Singh, as it could give a tough fight to SAD’s NK Sharma who had won the last two elections.
“There were a few other names but the party fielded Dhillon as he was instrumental in winning the civic polls and also managed to oust the SAD from the MC of Zirakpur. In the 2017 elections too, the margin of defeat was small, this time the party did not want to see any rebellion in the region.
In 2012, Dhillon rebelled against the Congress and contested the elections and came second. SAD’s NK Sharma won the election by nearly 10,000 votes. Dhillon joined the SAD and contested the parliamentary election in 2014 against his mentor and Patiala MP Preneet Kaur and lost the election. He came in third place. Dhillon again joined the Congress and was fielded by the party in 2017 but lost the election to Sharma.
Former cabinet minister said on not getting ticket – CM’s hand with land mafia
Senior Congress leader Jagmohan Singh Kang, who is contesting for his son from this seat after the allotment of Congress ticket to Vijay Sharma Tinku from Kharar, has written a letter to the Congress President. Sonia Gandhi And urged them to ‘intervene’ and reconsider the decision of ticket allotment.
Kang, who was a three-time cabinet minister, also made allegations against Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi. He says he was pursuing Kharar’s claim for his son Yadwinder Singh Kang, who worked in the Indian Youth Congress and was on the list of ‘high performers’.
Kang also mentioned in the letter that he has worked with several senior Congress leaders including former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, Ambika Soni, Ghulam Nabi Azad and Mohsina Kidwai.
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Kang alleged that Channi was attempting a complete monopoly in Kharar. “Due to its proximity to Chandigarh, land in Kharar is very expensive, and he (CM) is mingling with the land mafia and mining business who are mining crores and milking the state exchequer. He wants full influence in the field without interference from someone with strong credentials. Recently, the ED raided his nephew and recovered Rs 10 crore and this is just the tip of the iceberg,” alleged Kang.
Kang said that Congress candidate from Kharar Vijay Sharma Tinku is the financier of the CM and is running the liquor business.
Jagmohan Kang had contested from Kharar in 2017 but lost. Kang had also mentioned that the CM’s brother had lost the civic polls in Kharar.
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