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Chhina supporters unhappy over Puri’s candidature

AMRITSAR: With the BJP announcing Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri as its candidate from Amritsar Lok Sabha constituency, many among the local BJP leaders are astonished as they feel that Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina could have put up a better fight.

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Manmeet Gill

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 22

With the BJP announcing Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri as its candidate from Amritsar Lok Sabha constituency, many among the local BJP leaders are astonished as they feel that Rajinder Mohan Singh Chhina could have put up a better fight.

Chhina and his supporters had increased their political activities recently. His supporters are disappointed. They feel that the BJP top brass has shown no respect to the feelings of the local workers.

A former councillor from Kot Khalsa and youth leader Gurpreet Singh Mintu said, “The party has not honoured the aspirations of the local leaders and workers. Chhina would have been a better candidate in every sense as people were familiar with him as well as his works. On the other hand, most of the local people don’t even know who Hardeep Singh Puri is.” He said familiarity of the candidate with the voters is very important for victory.

BJP state president Shwait Malik too is from the constituency. BJP workers fail to understand why an outsider has been brought to contest from Amritsar. However, Hardeep Singh Puri has been frequenting the holy city to attend public functions, but the local cadre still feel that he is an outsider.

Apart from BJP workers, a section of city residents too want local candidates. A few days ago, posters in large numbers surfaced in various parts of the city, stating that candidates should be from the holy city. At that time, there were reports of Congress’ plan to deny ticket to sitting MP Gurjeet Singh Aujla.

Another former councillor from the party, while requesting anonymity, said, “The cadre is not much enthusiastic after the announcement of ticket to Puri. But still everyone will have to abide by the orders of the party. The party will have to face tough questions from the people regarding party candidate as voters in the constituency are not much enthusiastic about the party.”

Attempts to contact Chhina to have his comments failed.

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