The Delhi Congress has received directives to streamline its selection process, narrowing down the list of potential candidates to a single nominee for each of the three Lok Sabha seats in the capital, as per inside sources. This instruction was relayed during the Congress’s Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting, held at the party’s headquarters, with notable figures such as national leader Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and K K Venugopal in attendance.
Sources revealed that the current list comprises three to five contenders for each seat. However, the Delhi unit has been tasked with refining the selection to a solitary candidate for each of the three constituencies. This decision is anticipated to be finalized during the upcoming meeting, scheduled for March 10 or 11.
A senior party official stated, “At present, the panel has three to five names for each seat, of which, three were submitted to the national leadership for consideration. However, the Delhi unit was asked to zero-in on and return with only one name for each of the three seats at the next meeting, which is likely to be conducted on March 10 or 11.”
The potential candidates under consideration for the Chandni Chowk constituency include prominent figures such as Jai Prakash Agarwal, Alka Lamba, Harishankar Gupta, Mangat Ram Singhal, and Sandeep Dikshit. Meanwhile, for the Northeast seat, the panel comprises Delhi Congress chief Arvinder Singh Lovely, Chaudhary Anil Kumar, Bhisham Sharma, and Mateen Ahmed. In the case of Northwest Delhi, notable names such as Krishna Tirath, Raj Kumar Chauhan, Udit Raj, and Surender Kumar are under review.
With approximately a dozen contenders being assessed for the three Delhi Lok Sabha seats allotted to the Congress, the party faces the task of selecting the most suitable candidates. This decision holds significance as it aligns with the party’s strategic approach in the upcoming elections. Furthermore, this move comes amidst the backdrop of the AAP, Congress’s ally, having already declared candidates for four seats in Delhi.
