Congress panel meets to pick Delhi's candidates

NEW DELHI: Amid uncertainties over an alliance with AAP in Delhi, Congress called a meeting of its screening committee on Saturday evening at the residence of its Delhi unit chief, Sheila Dikshit, to discuss probable

candidates

for the seven Lok Sabha seats in the capital.


AICC general secretary K C Venugopal, Delhi in-charge P C Chacko, Dikshit, and three Delhi Congress working presidents Haroon Yusuf, Rajesh Lilothia and Devender Yadav were among the leaders present during the discussion, said a source.

The names of probable candidates were taken up keeping in mind both scenarios — if Congress contests the elections along with AAP or fights on its own.

“There is a possibility that some senior leaders may not contest the elections fearing that they may lose if the alliance does not happen in Delhi. The committee thoroughly discussed both the situations and the most suitable names,” said the source.

While applications for the candidature had come from 74 Congress leaders, including former MPs, MLAs, municipal councillors, and office bearers of district committees and frontal organisations, senior leaders of Delhi Congress have shortlisted three-four names for each constituency.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi had asked the seven candidates who unsuccessfully contested the 2014 elections to take the challenge again, said the source. However, former East Delhi MP Sandeep Dikshit is no more active in Delhi while North West Delhi candidate Krishna Tirath is now with BJP.

The names of the shortlisted candidates will be discussed again in a meeting with the top party leadership likely to be held on Monday.