Phagwara, Jan 12: In a political somersault, Joginder Singh Mann, a three-time Congress MLA from Phagwara and a former Punjab minister dropped his plan to contest as a rebel.
Mann had declared on Tuesday that he would contest as an independent candidate against party's official candidate Balbir Raja Sodhi.
Today, he declared his unconditional support for party candidate Sodhi, dropping his plan to file his nomination as a rebel.
Mann, who had won from Phagwara in 1985, 1992, 2002 but lost in 2007 assembly polls, was denied a party ticket this time.
He had revolted against this and had organised a big protest rally of his supporters here on Sunday. An 11-member Action Committee was constituted by his supporters and Mann had declared to file his nomination as a rebel candidate today.
But prolonged hectic parleys between DCC President Harjit Singh Parmar and Mann and his supporters at the latter's residence today and personal intervention on phone by PPCC President and former CM Captain Amarinder Singh and PPCC General Secretary Rana Gurjit Singh made Mann take this U-turn.
Mann claimed that Captain Amarinder Singh had rung him up, assuring him that he (Mann) will be “adjusted” and given full regards in the party.
