Former Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal (file pic)
Former Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal and four-time MP today filed his nomination papers for the Chandigarh Lok Sabha seat, polling for which will be held on April 10.
The 65-year-old politician, filed his papers before the Returning Officer, in Chandigarh.
Mr Bansal was accompanied by his wife Madhu, son Manish, City Mayor H C Kalyan, some Congress councillors and a few supporters when he reached the office of Deputy Commissioner-cum-Returning Officer in Chandigarh.
Later, speaking to reporters, Mr Bansal thanked Congress President Sonia Gandhi, party vice president Rahul Gandhi and members of the party's central election committee for reposing faith in him and re-nominating him from Chandigarh.
He also thanked the people of Chandigarh for their continued support and added he will not betray their faith.
Earlier addressing reporters here on Sunday, Mr Bansal had hit out at his detractors, who questioned his renomination from Chandigarh over the cash-for-post scam issue, claiming he was a victim of a conspiracy and had suffered despite there being no evidence against him.
Mr Bansal is pitted against three prominent women candidates in Chandigarh - former Miss India and AAP candidate Gul Panag, BJP's actress-turned-politician Kirron Kher and BSP's Jannat Jahan.
Mr Bansal had to resign from the Cabinet in the wake of Rs ten crore cash-for-post bribery scam allegedly involving his nephew Vijay Singla and nine others when the Congress leader was holding the Railways portfolio.
His nephew Vijay Singla and nine others, arrested in the Rs 10-crore cash-for-post railway bribery case last year, will face trial with a special court in Delhi framing charges of criminal conspiracy and corruption against them on Tuesday.
Mr Bansal has been arrayed as a prosecution witness by the CBI in its charge sheet filed last year.
Mr Bansal said that Chandigarh's development would always remain his priority.
"I am sure that with the support of people in Chandigarh, we will surely win the seat," Mr Bansal said exuding confidence.
Dismissing any threat from AAP or the BJP, Mr Bansal told reporters that "there is no threat from them. When you run a race, you only look at the post, you don't look back who is behind. Our target is to reach that post."