NEW DELHI: The Punjab Congress Election Committees unanimously decided to leave the selection of candidates for the Lok Sabha seats to the party President, Mr.P.V, Narasimha Rao. The meeting which lasted for 45 minutes authorized the Prime Minister to finalize the names of the candidates from a list of more than 50 aspirants, recommended by the various District Congress Committees (DCCs). In the state. ‘The meeting, was attended by the Punjab Chief Minister, Harcharan Singh Brar, state Congress chief, Virendra Kataria, former Union Ministers, Buta Singh and Balram Jakhar, Youth Congress President Maninder Singh Bitta, union External Affairs Minister R.L, Bhatia and state Finance Minister Kewal Krishan, “Due to the special circumstances of Punjab, the choice of candidates was left to the party President,” Mr. Kataria said.
Significantly, Mr. Kataria held a conference at his residence before the committee met late that evening. Mr, Kataria said that he and Mr. Brar chalked out a joint strategy for the crucial meeting to pick up candidates.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 27, 1996
