The Congress seemed to be doing everything right in the run-up to the Punjab Assembly elections, dates for which were announced a few of days ago. Even the anti-incumbency factor was being expected to work in its favour, with the SAD-BJP combine on the back foot over a number of reasons, even as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) looks to make some headway into the state.
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However, the Punjab unit of the Congress has now faced a roadblock in what would have been otherwise smooth sailing: The party's national vice-president Rahul Gandhi is on vacation, and therefore the full list of candidates for the election cannot be released.
Rahul Gandhi had written on his official Twitter handle on December 31, 2016: "I will be traveling for the next few days.Happy New Year to everyone,wishing you and your loved ones success & happiness in this coming year [sic]."
According to a Mail Today report, the manifesto for the February 4 elections will now be released on January 9. The Punjab Congress, it may be noted, has already released the names of 77 of its candidates for the 117-member Legislative Assembly, and will name the rest soon. The remaining 40 were to be declared after the Gandhi scion had taken a look into the list.
The report said: "Rahul has been taking a keen interest in candidate selection and cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu has also been in direct talks with him for his entry in the Congress. Sidhu's candidature for the Amritsar East constituency, from where his wife is the sitting MLA, is still to be announced. His wife has indicated that she would vacate the seat for Sidhu."
However, Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh has downplayed Rahul Gandhi's absence and the party's delay in releasing the full candidate list. "Even the BJP has not declared any candidate so far. The last list of Congress candidates will be out by January 9," he said, adding: "Either Navjot Singh Sidhu or his wife Navjot Kaur would be fielded from Amritsar (East).
