Punjab CM requests Manmohan Singh to contest Amritsar Lok Sabha seat

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh understood to have requested Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to contest by election of Amritsar Parliament seat vacated by BJP leader Navjot Singh Sidhu following his conviction by Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Highly placed sources said that Captain Amarinder Singh had made this request during Dr. Singh's visit to Amritsar on December 20 last.

Punjab government is also reportedly sending proposal to Election Commission of India (ECI) to hold the Amritsar Lok Sabha by-poll along with Punjab assembly early next year. It is mandatory to hold by-election within six months of seat falling vacant. In this case resignation of Sidhu was accepted on December 3,2006 and election may be held before May 3,2007. Punjab assembly election is expected in first week of March, 2007.
 
However Punjab Pardesh Congress Committee (PPCC) has no idea of request made by Captain Amarinder Singh to the Prime Minister. The PCC president Shamsher Singh Dullo said that there was no move yet to request Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to contest from Amritsar. He said that PCC had not yet concentrated on the by-election of Amritsar.

He however said that Dr. Singh was welcome to contest. “Being a Prime Minster if he would contest elections it will be a privilege for us”, he added. He further admitted that if Dr. Singh will contest from Lok Sabha Congress will definitely improve its position in Punjab and particularly in Majha region.  
 
Since Dr. Singh is Prime Minister and not the leader of the house of Lok Sabha as he is member of Rajya Sabha. The Congress has made External Affairs Minister Parnab Mukherjee as the leader of the house and there has been a tradition (not a law) that Prime Minister is from Lok Sabha. When Dr. Singh became the Prime Minister of India, many congress leaders felt that he would contest Lok Sabha elections as he belongs to Punjab and this debate was held many times in Congress circles. Since Congress in Punjab could win only two seats in 2004 parliament elections, the idea was dropped.
 
As far as Dr. Singh's concern even one time former foreign minister, Natwar Singh's observation that a proper election victory doesn't figure in the PM's CV. He has been a member of the Rajya Sabha since 1991, being re-elected in 1996 and   2001 from Assam. His Raj Sabha term will be completed by July 2007. He did contest the Lok Sabha election in 1999 from South Delhi, but lost to Vijay Kumar Malhotra of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
 
It is believed that Punjab chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh wanted to cash the popularity of Dr. Manmohan Singh in Majha region by requesting him to contest the Amritsar by-election. Congress is strong in Doaba region and SAD has considerable pockets of influence in Malwa.. If Dr. Manmohan Singh will give his consent to contest Amritsar by-elections it will help Congress to score high in Majha area.
 
The Prime Minister has shown generosity while giving grants to Amritsar. He has given about 5000 crores to Amritsar during last two years. Many projects and schemes for the development of the state were announced by the Prime Minister during his visit to Amritsar on December 20.

The credit of starting Amritsar- Lahore and Amritsar-Nankana Sahib bus service also goes to Dr.Manmohan Singh.