After the declaration of Mohinder Singh Kaypee’s name as the Congress nominee from Jalandhar, the high command is planning to appoint working president of the Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee.

The AICC feels that since Kaypee would be busy in Jalandhar, another person in needed to hold the reins of the PPCC during elections. Sources in the Congress told The Indian Express that Dakala MLA Lal Singh is the frontrunner for the post, while two other leaders are also in the fray.

Lal Singh may be considered for the post as he has the support of both the Rajinder Kaur Bhattal and the Capt Amarinder Singh camps.

“Lal Singh played a crucial role in getting two independent MLAs into the Congress fold,” said a senior AICC member, while hinting at the joining of Ghanaur MLA Madan Lal Jalalpur and Tanda MLA Sangat Singh. A senior Congress leader told The Indian Express that the high command was keeping a close watch on Punjab even though Capt Amarinder had a say in the ticket allotment. “Of late, Lal Singh has been doing the right things at the right time and he shares cordial relations with both the lobbies in Punjab,” he added.

Interestingly, Lal Singh had raised voice against the candidature of Preneet Kaur, wife of former CM Amarinder Singh. But now there’s quid pro quo: Preneet would need Lal Singh’s support for campaigning, while the Dakala MLA would need Amarinder’s help to clinch the post of the working president.

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