The Congress announced names for candidates in 16 Lok Sabha constituencies across four States. The notable names include former Union Minister Manish Tewari’s name from Chandigarh seat shifting him from Anandpur Sahib which he won in 2019 election.
Mr. Tewari will face BJP’s Sanjay Tandon, who is son of former Governor Balramji Das Tandon.
The party also cleared the name of Himachal Pradesh Minister Vikramaditya Singh, son of former Chief Minister Late Virbhadhra Singh and State chief Pratibha Singh, from Mandi. He will be facing BJP candidate and film actor Kangana Ranaut.
Former Union Minister Srikant Kumar Jena who had recently returned to Congress will be contesting from Balasore in Odisha. Former Leader of Opposition Paresh Dhanani from Rajkot against Union Minister Purshottam Rupala. Mr. Rupala is at the centre of controversy with his remarks against Rajputs and is facing severe protests from many within Gujarat BJP. After 22 years, Mr. Rupala and Mr. Dhanani are fighting against each other. In 2002, Mr. Dhanani defeated Rupala from Amreli in the Assembly polls.
The names were announced after a meeting of party’s Central Election Committee. According to sources, candidates for Haryana and Delhi were also discussed.
In Haryana, the party, according to sources has finalised the names of Rajya Sabha MP Deepender Hooda from Rohtak and Kumari Shelja from Sirsa. Though Ms. Shelja is yet to decide whether she will contest or not.
Sources also said that in Punjab, former AAP leader Dharamvir Gandhi’s name was cleared to contest from Patiala.
The party which racked with in-fighting in Himachal Pradesh, is hoping that Mr. Singh’s candidature will bring stability. Differences that were simmering between Chief Minister Sukwinder Singh Sukhu and the party’s State unit sharpened during the recent Rajya Sabha election, when Congress candidate Abhishek Singhvi was defeated due to cross-voting by six MLAs of the ruling party. However, the fault lines within the party were clearly visible, with Mr. Vikramditya and his mother Ms. Singh, blaming the Chief Minister for the Rajya Sabha fiasco. He had even resigned as a Minister of the Sukhu government but then took it back under pressure from the high command.
When asked about the tough contest of Mr. Vikramditya with Ms. Ranaut, Ms. Singh said, “There is no reason for us to worry. Whoever comes, we are prepared to contest and win the seat”.
Names for candidates for five assembly seats in Gujarat coming up for bypolls was also cleared.
There is still no clarity on the party’s candidate from Amethi and Rae Bareli, where several sections in the party are hoping that former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will contest from.
The CEC meeting was attended by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, and AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal.
Himachal Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, Pradesh Congress Chief Pratibha Singh, and AICC in-charge Rajeev Shukla, were the others present in the meeting.
The Haryana CEC was attended, by PCC chief Uday Bhan, ex-CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Randeep Surjewala, and Kumari Selja.
