The first meeting of the Congress Central Election Committee (CEC) on Thursday has paved the way for senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to contest from the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in Kerala. However, the final decision has been left to Gandhi himself to decide whether he intends to contest or not.
According to sources of The Indian Express, the Congress Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting, chaired by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and attended by Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, has finalised key candidates for the upcoming elections. Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel is set to contest from the Rajnandgaon seat, and former minister Tamardwaj Sahu will vie for Mahasamund, with Jyotsna Mahant as the candidate for Korba, Chhattisgarh.
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The official announcement of these names is expected in a day or two. However, the CEC encountered challenges in deciding on candidates for Chandni Chowk, Northwest, and Northeast seats of Delhi due to the presence of multiple contenders. The meeting focused on clearing names for 60 candidates across 10 states, including Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, Delhi, and Chhattisgarh.
Congress leaders from Kerala hinted at surprises in the list of candidates for the state, with indications that most sitting MPs, including Shashi Tharoor, will be fielded again. The panel reportedly cleared 10 names for Karnataka. Notably, the CEC did not delve into discussions about Uttar Pradesh candidates, leaving uncertainty about whether Rahul Gandhi will contest from Amethi once again, Indian Express reported.
In Chandni Chowk, sources revealed that names such as J P Agarwal, ex-MP Sandeep Dikshit, and Mahila Congress chief Alka Lamba were presented before the panel. Meanwhile, Northeast Delhi saw names including DPCC president Arvinder Singh Lovely and his predecessor Anil Chaudhary. However, there is a lack of clarity on the Alappuzha candidate in Kerala.
