Going by the age-old maxim of “an enemy’s enemy is my friend”, the Congress party is all set to woo two disgruntled Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders for improving its chances in the crucial Gurdaspur parliamentary by-elections.
With the high stakes involved in its first electoral test after bouncing back to power in March this year, the Congress is trying to rope in AAP’s two former State conveners — Sucha Singh Chhotepur and comedian-turned-politician Gurpreet Singh Ghuggi.
The State party unit believed that with the two leaders coming in the Congress fold, its election campaign would get a major push.
Congress is all set to face not only its first litmus test after serving six-month in office, but also its first popularity test after sweeping Punjab Assembly polls with record 77 seats, out of total 117.
To ensure party’s victory, the Congress has decided to field its State president and “honest” leader Sunil Jakhar. Besides, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh is himself overseeing his election campaign besides assigning duties to his “team” and close aides.
If that is not enough! Amarinder has also assign duties to the Ministers and legislators. Cabinet Ministers have been assigned the job to look after the nine assembly segments, falling under Gurdaspur parliamentary seat, besides party MlAs and MPs.
After holding party’s rally on the day Jakhar filed his nomination papers, Capt Amarinder would once again address a massive rally at Pathankot on Dussehra.
Now, to turn things more profitable, the party is strategically trying to bring along all disgruntled leaders in its fold. Congress is already highlighting the wrangling between the local units of the two allies — SAD and the BJP.
“Ghuggi and Chhotepur would prove beneficial for the Congress as the two have led AAP in Punjab, and moreover, they have also contested polls from this region, which would be an added advantage,” a senior Congress leader told The Pioneer.
It has been learnt that Ghuggi is in touch with several Congress leaders, including Cabinet Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu. At the time when Ghuggi parted ways with AAP after he was replaced with Bhagwant Mann, a comedian-turned-politician and Sangrur MP, after party’s 2017 Assembly poll debacle, there were reports that the comedian-actor may join hands with the Congress.
However, talks could not materialise as the senior Congress leaders did not show much interest, nor made any efforts. Now, the party is realising the need to bring in Ghuggi, especially because he had bagged considerable number of votes in Batala Assembly constituency elections.
Notably, Ghuggi has signed several film projects after he remained inactive in political front. He is yet to join any party. On the other hand, reports are also doing rounds of Chhotepur, who has floated his own party — Apna Punjab Party (APP) — ahead 2017 polls, joining the Congress.
Earlier, there were reports that APP would also field its candidate for October 11 bye-election. But as no APP candidate filed the nominations, speculations are getting rife that Chhotepur may side with Congress.
Chhotepur had, days before, declared that his party would take a call on whom it would support.
AAP’s first convener in Punjab, Chhotepur had contested 2014 lok Sbaha polls bagging 1.73 lakh votes — amounting nearly 17 per cent vote share — finishing third behind BJP’s Vinod Khanna and Congress’ Partap Singh Bajwa.
AAP has fielded a greenhorn Major General (retd) Suresh Kumar Khajuria, while SAD-BJP coalition has nominated moneybags candidate Swaran Salaria.
