Rajasthan polls: Congress list of candidates likely today
Nomination filing began three days ago, but the Congress is yet to release its first list. It has led to speculations over differences among senior leaders about the selection of candidates. Both Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot are taking active participation in the selection process.
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Rajasthan Congress
Jaipur: The Congress will likely come out with the first list of candidates for Rajasthan assembly elections 2018 on Wednesday. The party couldn’t release the list on Tuesday, causing resentment among candidates who are preparing to fight in the elections.
Read also: Sachin Pilot, Ashok Gehlot to contest Rajasthan assembly election 2018
Nomination filing began three days ago, but the Congress is yet to release its first list. It has led to speculations over differences among senior leaders about the selection of candidates. Both Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot are taking active participation in the selection process.
Read also: Dausa BJP MP Harish Meena joins Congress
Rajasthan Congress president Sachin Pilot told media persons that the list couldn’t come out because party chief Rahul Gandhi was not in Delhi. The names couldn’t be discussed with him, so the party decided to postpone the release of the list till Wednesday.
While the party high command wants to give young faces an opportunity to fight elections, some senior leaders from Rajasthan are not in favour of this strategy. Another reason of disagreement is that the party high command doesn’t want to field senior leaders.
The Congress wants to follow the formula used in Madhya Pradesh where senior leaders are not fighting the elections. The party wants senior leaders such as Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot to look after the campaigning. Rahul Gandhi has not given both the leaders his permission to fight in the elections. Gandhi will take a final decision on the matter on Wednesday.
The delay in the release of the list has caused resentment among contenders as they say that they have not been able to launch their campaigning even when the elections are less than three week away.
Most leaders looking to get tickets are camping in Delhi. Since the Congress is hopeful of a victory in the election, senior leaders are trying to field the candidates of their choice. Congress leader Ahmed Patel is trying to create a consensus among senior Rajasthan politicians including Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot.
