The Liberal race narrows

More moves on Team Piccini

ANOTHER GRIT DOWN

Less than one week after officially entering the ring, VIK HANDA is now bowing out of the race for Liberal captain.

Handa, a relative political outsider who supporters likened to Ontario’s version of ZOHRAN MAMDANI (much to the chagrin of New Democrats), had launched his campaign last Friday pitching a $22 minimum wage, rent freeze and free GO Transit.

Now, he’s taking himself out of the running and is poised to throw his support behind one of the five other remaining contenders.

“This was not an easy decision,” Handa said. But he wound up withdrawing “after taking a close look at the state of this leadership race and the political reality at Queen’s Park.”

A little birdie tells me at least one other candidate reached out to Handa since he joined the fray last week: perceived frontrunner NAVDEEP BAINS.

Generally speaking, it’s not unusual for the some political maneuvering to take place in leadership races, such as one candidate offering a competitor a high-profile po…