After joining Congress, Joshi faces resistance over Amritsar North seat

Amritsar: Two-time MLA and former minister Anil Joshi's entry into the Congress may appear sudden, but if sources are to be believed, it was the outcome of months of behind-the-scenes discussions, involvement of several senior leaders, and reportedly, some political assurances. This marks Joshi's second shift of loyalty but leaves his political future within the Congress party somewhat uncertain.

Though he has a stronghold in the Amritsar North Assembly constituency, which he represented twice as a BJP MLA, various senior Congress leaders are already eyeing the seat and are reportedly unwilling to relinquish their claim. While there is resistance to accommodating Joshi in that particular segment, party insiders suggest that some leaders are open to supporting him if he agrees to contest from another constituency, either within Amritsar or from Tarn Taran, his native district.

"We strongly object to Joshi staking a claim to the Amritsar North constituency. However, we have no objection if he chooses to contest from Tarn Taran — in that case, it will be up to the Congress leadership in Tarn Taran to decide," said one of the senior Congress leaders after a meeting with other Congress leaders on Friday.

It has also been learned that these leaders have decided to write a detailed letter to Rahul Gandhi, warning the party high command of a potential mass defection of the Congress leadership to other parties, primarily the BJP.

Leaders such as Sunil Dutti, former MLA from Amritsar North and former mayor of Amritsar, Joginderpal Dhingra, and district congress committee president Ashwani Pappu are among those who have been actively nurturing the Amritsar North assembly constituency, with aspirations to secure the party ticket for the 2027 assembly elections.

Another Congress leader said: "We will also be writing to the party high command, requesting an investigation into what prompted the Punjab Congress leadership to introduce Anil Joshi to the central leadership, and what assurances were given to him during that process."

Their long-standing involvement in the area makes them unlikely to step aside easily, and they are expected to pose strong internal resistance if Anil Joshi seeks to contest from the same seat under the Congress banner.

After quitting the BJP, former minister Joshi's entry into the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) was initially seen as an attempt to project a more secular image for the party by bringing in a prominent Hindu leader. However, neither was Joshi able to establish a strong foothold within the party, nor could he gain acceptance among the constituents as an SAD leader.

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