Cong to announce Punjab nominees within a week

Chandigarh, Jan 5 (UNI) The Congress will announce its candidates for the February 13 assembly elections in Punjab within a week.

''Candidates for most of the seats will be finalised by the party high command by January 10 and the list of nominees would be announced within a week,'' Congress president Shamsher Singh Dullo and Chief Minister Amarinder singh said at a press conference here today.

Mr Dullo and Capt Singh would fly to Delhi later in the day for a meeting with the high command and submit the applications of Congress leaders for party tickets.

They said winnability of the candidate would be the main criterion while choosing nominees for the party.

To a question, Capt Amarinder Singh confirmed that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's brother Surjit Singh Kohli had met him and expressed his interest to contest elections.

''He has every right to contest elections but the decision would be taken by the high command,'' he said.

The Chief Minister clarified that his son Raninder Singh would not contest the assembly elections.

Mr Dullo said he had himself not yet applied for the ticket but his wife Harbans Kaur rptg Kaur was an aspirant.

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