Capt up for Badal fight

Tribune News Service

New Delhi/chandigarh, Jan 14

The Congress today queered the pitch in Punjab with state party chief Capt Amarinder Singh announcing he was keen to contest against Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal from Lambi. In that case, a source said, Ludhiana MP Ravneet Singh Bittu may take on Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal in Jalalabad.  

 Meanwhile, former BJP leader Navjot Singh Sidhu is likely to join the Congress on January 16.

Capt Amarinder, who is also fighting from Patiala, phoned Rahul seeking his approval to take on Badal Senior. The ball is now in the high command’s court. The announcement  provoked a terse reaction from Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, who asked whether he would fight from one segment or two.  “If you are fighting two, people will call you a coward,” he tweeted.

January 18 is the last date of filing nominations. 

Re-strategising, the Congress is thinking of fielding bigwigs against the Badals to blunt the AAP rhetoric that the Congress and Akalis have a tacit understanding. The original plan was to field Bittu from Lambi and Sidhu from Jalalabad. The latter is learnt to have declined the proposal. He might contest from Amritsar East. 

After Bittu came on board “to fight from wherever asked”, Capt Amarinder today offered to contest from Lambi. Gidderbaha candidate Amrinder Singh Raja Warring said he too was ready to contest “from any seat”.

Meanwhile, Phillaur candidate Karamjit Kaur has been replaced with her son.