Bathinda, Lambi choice may reflect on Maghi rally

bathinda: while the surprise choice of surinder singla, an outside congress candidate for bathinda seat served a blow to the rank and file besides the main contenders for the seat here, the denial of congress ticket to mahesh inder singh, the cousin of punjab chief minister, for lambi constituency has left many in the party circles astounded. the supporters of mahesh inder singh and jagmeet singh brar are in shock at the denial of the ticket to the cousin of the chief minister, who was reportedly brought to the party fold by jagmeet singh brar with an assurance of a ticket for lambi constituency two months back.the supporters of mahesh inder were so confident of getting ticket that they had formally launched campaign in his favour and mahesh was also following up complaints of tampering of voters list and enrolment of fake voters in the area. the party has announced the name of gurnam singh abul khurana for lambi seat. earlier, raghubir singh, the president of muktsar dcc and ticket nominee for gidderbaha seat had joined the chorus with jagmeet singh brar demanding aticket for mahesh. with new political equations in the area, mahesh inder singh called a meeting of his supporters on monday to chalk out strategy, and supporters of jagmeet singh brar are reportedly taking no interest in moving people for the maghi rally. sources close to jagmeet singh brar said the presence of brar was still doubtful at the rally, which was earlier being organised by dcc under the leadership of raghubir singh, is now being structured by avtar singh sidhu, the president of muktsar block. sidhu is a close confidant of amarinder singh. while the most of senior congress leaders in bathinda maintained low profile and avoided comment on the choice surinder singla, a former rajya sabha member from samana in patiala district, the resentment was palpable among the party workers who had gathered at the party district office here on sunday. the congress party office here was reverberating with indignant tones as the party workers were resentful of the allotment of the party ticket to an outsider and strange person to the area. while some office-bearers of the party were venting their anger against the party high command, most of the workers and sarpanches of some villages of the constituency said the choice of surinder singla for the seat would dampen the chances of the party at the hustings. however, everyone was trying to figure out the reasoning for fielding singla from the seat. meanwhile, political pundits in the area said that the distribution of tickets in muktsar, faridkot and bathinda and annoyance of jagmeet brar camp would have an impact at maghi mela rally scheduled to be held at muktsar, the fiefdom of jagmeet singh brar and parkash singh badal, on monday.