nDisgruntled Mohinder Singh Kaypee continued to be in rebel mode after the Congress high command “ignored” his candidature from Jalandhar reserve constituency for the May 119 elections in Punjab.

In what may cause trouble for the state’s ruling party in the run up to the crucial Lok Sabha elections, Kaypee has teamed up with party’s other dalit leaders, “unhappy over the ticket allocation”, and convened a meeting on April 15 at Chandigarh to mull over the future course of action.

It has been learnt that Kaypee has organised a meeting of party’s senior leaders, including former Union Minister Santosh Chaudhary, Punjab Congress’ former president Shamsher Singh Dullo, among others. 

Mincing no words to express his dissatisfaction over denial of ticket to him, Kaypee has all along been describing the move as his “political murder by the Congress party”. Jalandhar’s former MP has also made it amply clear that he would not shy to contest the ensuing elections as an independent candidate.

Kaypee, continuing his tirade against the Congress party, alleged that ticket has been given to those who managed to give bags full of money, and the traditional Congress leaders and the old guard were being ignored. 

Releasing its first list of candidates, the Congress had decided to retain its all sitting MPs, including Chaudhary Santokh Singh from Jalandhar.

After Kaypee revolted, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh decided to intervene to pacify the sulking Congress veteran while assuring him a “suitable” position. Dissatisfied, Kaypee took up the matter with the senior leadership in Delhi demanding review of the ticket allocation for Jalandhar seat. 

On the other hand, Chaudhary Santokh Singh had declared to file his nomination papers in the presence of Chief Minister on April 22 — the first day of filing papers for the Lok Sabha elections in Punjab.

Chaudhary Santokh even displayed his strength by getting himself clicked with the local MLAs and halqa in-charge of all nine Assembly seats.