Take pledge not to contest polls if denied tickets, Cong tells ticket seekers

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Chandigarh: Punjab Congress has asked ticket seekers to take a pledge and give an undertaking that they will not contest polls on any assembly seat against Congress nominee if they are not "chosen".

"I hereby give an undertaking and take a pledge that if am not selected for any constituency on behalf of the Congress, I will not contest any seat against any Congress candidate in this election and will fully support the official Congress candidate," says the performa of attested declaration issued by Punjab Congress which is to be filled by ticket aspirants along with application form for nomination for 2017 Assembly polls.

Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh has recently said that ticket aspirants could submit their applications to the state unit by August 15.

Amarinder had said that winnability of the candidate would be the criteria for the allotment of party ticket in the upcoming assembly polls.

"The party will ensure that there was proper distribution of tickets this time and only the deserving candidates who were in a position to win were allotted the party tickets," Amarinder had said in Ludhiana on July 7.

The Punjab Congress Chief had also said that all the other deserving candidates who were left out, would be accommodated in the government if Congress voted to power.

Besides, Punjab Congress nomination has also asked ticket aspirants to attach the detail of two voters including their mobile numbers, address, voters' signature from every booth in the assembly constituency from where they wish to contest.

Party, through the application form, is also asking ticket applicants to share details about whether they had contested any elections and whether they had left the party and if so, why and when they rejoined the party.

Punjab is likely to see a keen contest between SAD-BJP, Congress and Aam Aadmi Party during the 2017 assembly polls.

Significantly, the application of candidature for 2017 Assembly polls in Punjab has been prepared by Punjab Congress with inputs from polls strategist Prashant Kishor.