Chandigarh: Manohar Singh, brother of Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, said on Sunday that he will now contest as an independent from the constituency after the ruling party fielded its sitting MLA.
Singh Bassi was eyeing a Congress ticket from the Pathana assembly seat. Congress in its first list of 86 candidates on Saturday gave ticket to party MLA Gurpreet Singh GP from Bassi Pathana (reserved) seat. Manohar Singh termed the Congress’ decision to give ticket to Gurpreet Singh GP an “injustice” to the people of the constituency and alleged that the sitting MLA was “incompetent and ineffective”.
Manohar Singh told PTI over phone, “Many prominent people of Bassi Pathana region have asked me to fight as an independent and I will follow what they have said. There is no question of going back and I will definitely contest the elections.” Singh had resigned as senior medical officer from Kharar Civil Hospital in August last year. Singh has done MBBS and MD. He also has a master’s degree in journalism and has studied law.
He said that he decided to contest as an independent after meeting several councillors, village sarpanch and panch. “People told me that giving him (Gurpreet Singh GP) ticket is wrong. They had done nothing earlier and now they have been imposed again.” Singh said that he would talk to his brother Channi and explain to him about his decision.
Last year, Congress’ Punjab unit chief Navjot Singh Sidhu had inaugurated the election office of Gurpreet Singh GP in Bassi Pathana constituency. Polling for the 117 seats in the Punjab Assembly will be held on February 14 and the counting of votes will take place on March 10.