Chandigarh: Congress and Manpreet Singh Badal led People's Party of Punjab (PPP) today announced an alliance to fight the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in the state. Manpreet will take on Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal's daughter-in-law and sitting MP Harsimrat Kaur from Bathinda constituency.
Congress will contest the remaining 12 Lok Sabha seats, with polling in Punjab's 13 seats scheduled for April 30.
The decision was announced at a press conference here, addressed by Punjab Congress president Pratap Singh Bajwa, Manpreet, Leader of Opposition in the state and Sunil Jakhar, while Congress MPs Vijay Inder Singla and Ravneet Singh Bittu were also present.
Manpreet is estranged nephew of Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and former finance minister in the SAD-BJP government.
The newly-formed alliance leaves a window open for the Communist Party of India to be its part.
However, according to Bajwa and Manpreet, the CPI's central leadership had left it to state unit to take a final call. In the event CPI comes on board, the Left party may contest from Faridkot seat.
