‘One family, one ticket’ is thumb rule: Amarinder

Gurdeep Singh Mann

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, October 18

The Congress has decided to give only one ticket per family in the Punjab Assembly elections. This was stated by PPCC president Capt Amarinder Singh in an informal chat with The Tribune.

Saying the rule would apply to all party leaders and workers, irrespective of their stature or position in the party, Amarinder said the matter was discussed with the All India Congress Committee (AICC) leadership and it had agreed to the suggestion. The move was aimed at bringing ‘greater democracy’ in the party, he said.

The ‘one family, one ticket’ rule was also applicable to his own family as well, he said. Not only his wife Preneet Kaur, but his son Raninder Singh and brother Malwinder Singh also have decided not to contest the elections.

To a question about tickets for Bains brothers, if they join the party, he said their case could be treated as an exception since both were sitting MLAs. “We will look into their case separately,” he said.

The Punjab Congress chief made it clear that winnability would be the sole criteria for allotting tickets. Highlighting that a detailed assessment would be done for all ticket aspirants, Amarinder said even sitting MLAs, who seemed unlikely to win, would not be given tickets.