Congress takes 'Shrine route' to nip dissent

Taking ticket aspirants to Sikh shrines and religious places for an ‘election vow’ to promising plum posts to partymen extending unflinching support to official nominees, the Congress is doing all it can to cull dissent in poll-bound Punjab.

Wary of losing another term to defectors and high dissent, Congress is seeking refuge in religious places. Senior Congress leaders are ensuing that ticket seekers swear before God at Sikh shrines not to oppose the party nominee, once announced, and work towards their electoral victory.

Dozens of ticket seeks have been made to follow this route ahead of elections. With this new experiment in place, the Congress his hoping that vows at shrines will bind ticket seekers with a firm resolve.

In another attempt to reduce dissent, the Congress has announced plum posts, both at the government and party level, to partymen denied tickets in the final list. This is in case the Congress comes to power.

The party would have remained out of power for a decade in Punjab at the time of assembly elections early 2017.

The shortlist

Out of over 1600 candidates, Punjab Congress has shortlisted at least 600 persons for further scrutiny before lists of official candidates start rolling in weeks from now.

Party leaders say those denied tickets will act as 'campaign drivers'. Congress state president Capt Amarinder Singh has also announced that the performance of these party leader, who have been  denied tickets for one or the other reason, during elections will be viewed and evaluated for offering positions in the government later.

Often chairmen of Boards and Corporations and other plum posts are occupied by sitting party MLAs. This precedent is likely to seize.Capt Amarinder Singh has made it clear that MLAs and those contesting election will not be appointed to any board, corporation or trust as chairman.

These coveted positions will be reserved for those denied party tickets but ensure the victory of party candidates. But all this is only likely to take shape if the Congress ends the Akali Dal-BJP rule continuing in Punjab since 2007.