Punjab Election: Denied Congress Ticket, CM Charanjit Channi's Brother To Contest As Independent Candidate

Punjab Election: Denied ticket by Congress, Manohar Singh has made it clear that he will now contest as an independent candidate.

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Punjab Election: Congress party's difficulties following the announcement of its first list of candidates have continued to mount on the heels of the Punjab assembly election.

Dr Manohar Singh, brother of Punjab CM Charanjit Singh Channi, has made it clear that he will contest from Bassi Pathana as an independent candidate. Manohar Singh said there is no question of going back from Bassi Pathana seat.

Manohar Singh was seeking a Congress ticket from Bassi Pathana. But in the first list of candidates, Congress fielded party MLA Gurpreet Singh GP from Bassi Pathana seat. Manohar Singh termed the Congress party's decision to give the ticket to Gurpreet Singh GP as injustice to the people of the constituency.

"Several prominent people of Bassi Pathana area have asked me to fight as an independent and I will go by what they have said. There is no chance of going back and I will surely fight the polls," Manohar Singh told news agency PTI over the phone.

Manohar Singh had resigned as Senior Medical Officer from Civil Hospital, Kharar in August last year. Singh has done MBBS and MD. He also holds a master's degree in journalism and has studied law.

Manohar Singh said he decided to contest as an independent after meeting many councillors, village sarpanch and panch. 

"People told me it was wrong to give the ticket to him (Gurpreet Singh GP). He had earlier not done anything and now he has again been foisted upon," said Manohar Singh.

He further stated that he will talk to his brother Charanjit Channi and convince him about his decision.

Meanwhile, accepting the demand of political parties, the Election Commission on Monday decided to hold the single-phase Assembly election in Punjab on February 20 instead of February 14 in view of Guru Ravidas Jayanti.

The counting of votes will take place on March 10.