NEW DELHI: Congress push for senior leaders to take up difficult Lok Sabha challenge in North continues, with reluctance of some veterans attracting discussions in meeting of AICC panel to finalise candidates on Monday. Meanwhile, former CM Ashok Gehlot‘s son Vaibhav is set to contest from Jalore, away from the family’s home turf of Jodhpur, while Nakul Nath, son of Kamal Nath and sole winner in MP in 2019, will fight from Chhindwara.
There were some calls that Gehlot senior, who did not attend CEC, should also contest. The party discussed seats for Assam, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Daman on Monday.
Sources said in Uttarakhand, three seniors are not ready to contest. Five seats in the hill state are heavily tilted in favour of ruling BJP, and Congress is relying on old faces to put up strong resistance in some key seats.
Sources said veteran Harish Rawat was sought for Haridwar, while leader of opposition Yashpal Arya was offered two seats in Kumaon. But both are averse to contesting, with Rawat possibly preferring that his son be nominated. Senior MLA Pritam Singh, who is also a member of CEC, is said to have refused to contest from Tehri. Former state chief Ganesh Godiyal is set to be the party face in Pauri, from where Manish Khanduri, who joined BJP last week, contested in 2019.
State Congress president Karan Mahra and some others are said to have argued in the party forum that seniors should take up the challenge in tough times, as they owe it to the party.
In Assam, Congress faces the nettlesome issue of allotting seats to its sitting MPs who have been badly affected by delimitation, with reduced impact of minority votes across seats. Gaurav Gogoi’s Kaliabor does not exist any more, and he is said to be eyeing Nagaon of Pradyot Bordoloi or Jorhat.
The clash between them has become a sensitive issue, and sources said the leadership will take a decision based on consensus. Abdul Khaleque too is said to be seeking a new seat. The issue could not be finalised in the meeting.
With AAP having named candidates to three seats in Assam, Congress expects the ally to withdraw them, while Congress has decided to leave a seat for Assam Jatiya Parishad. In MP, Phool Singh Baraiyya will contest from Bhind reserved constituency, while one young leader from Digvijaya Singh’s family may also contest.
There were some calls that Gehlot senior, who did not attend CEC, should also contest. The party discussed seats for Assam, Gujarat, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Daman on Monday.
Sources said in Uttarakhand, three seniors are not ready to contest. Five seats in the hill state are heavily tilted in favour of ruling BJP, and Congress is relying on old faces to put up strong resistance in some key seats.
Sources said veteran Harish Rawat was sought for Haridwar, while leader of opposition Yashpal Arya was offered two seats in Kumaon. But both are averse to contesting, with Rawat possibly preferring that his son be nominated. Senior MLA Pritam Singh, who is also a member of CEC, is said to have refused to contest from Tehri. Former state chief Ganesh Godiyal is set to be the party face in Pauri, from where Manish Khanduri, who joined BJP last week, contested in 2019.
State Congress president Karan Mahra and some others are said to have argued in the party forum that seniors should take up the challenge in tough times, as they owe it to the party.
In Assam, Congress faces the nettlesome issue of allotting seats to its sitting MPs who have been badly affected by delimitation, with reduced impact of minority votes across seats. Gaurav Gogoi’s Kaliabor does not exist any more, and he is said to be eyeing Nagaon of Pradyot Bordoloi or Jorhat.
The clash between them has become a sensitive issue, and sources said the leadership will take a decision based on consensus. Abdul Khaleque too is said to be seeking a new seat. The issue could not be finalised in the meeting.
With AAP having named candidates to three seats in Assam, Congress expects the ally to withdraw them, while Congress has decided to leave a seat for Assam Jatiya Parishad. In MP, Phool Singh Baraiyya will contest from Bhind reserved constituency, while one young leader from Digvijaya Singh’s family may also contest.