1. Congress’s Central Election Committee (CEC) met at the party’s Delhi headquarters amid heightened anticipation for the release of the first Lok Sabha candidates list.
2. Despite the meeting, the list was not disclosed, intensifying speculation surrounding the potential allocation of seats for the Gandhis.
3. The absence of a definitive announcement prolongs the curiosity regarding Rahul Gandhi’s potential candidacy in Wayanad and Amethi, along with Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s debut in Raebareli.
New Delhi, March 08: The anticipation surrounding Congress’s first Lok Sabha candidates list peaked as the Central Election Committee (CEC) convened at the party’s headquarters in Delhi. However, the list remained unreleased, fueling speculation about the seats earmarked for the Gandhis.
Sources close to the party indicated that the much-awaited list is likely to be announced today.
Notable attendees at the meeting included Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and former Chief Sonia Gandhi, with Rahul Gandhi notably absent due to his leadership of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Jaipur, despite initial plans to join virtually.
Rahul Gandhi’s name has been suggested for the Wayanad seat by the party’s screening committee in Kerala. It is expected that he will seek re-election from this constituency, but uncertainty looms over whether he will also contest from his former bastion, Amethi.
Another point of interest is the potential candidacy of Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. While there have been calls for her to contest from Raebareli following her mother’s decision to vacate the seat for Rajya Sabha polls, her candidacy remains uncertain.
Speculations abound regarding potential candidates in the first list. Shashi Tharoor, the incumbent MP from Thiruvananthapuram, is expected to seek re-election.
In Chhattisgarh, former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel is likely to contest from Rajnandgaon, alongside Tamradhwaj Sahu from Durg, Jyotsna Mahant from Korba, and Shiv Dehariya from Janjgir-Champa seat.
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Delhi presents its challenges as a pivotal battleground. The local Congress unit has proposed numerous candidates for the seven Lok Sabha seats.
However, the final decision rests with the party high command, who have instructed the Delhi unit to streamline their selections before seeking approval.
For the Chandni Chowk seat, potential candidates include JP Agrawal, Sandeep Dikshit, and Alka Lamba.
In Northeast Delhi, contenders include Arvinder Singh Lovely and Anil Chowdhary, while Rajkumar Chauhan and Udit Raj are under consideration for Northwest Delhi.
