Nilekani likely to be named in Congress' first list

Aadhar project chief Nandan Nilekani's official entry to the upcoming Lok Sabha polls will be announced soon as the Congress has geared-up with the process of finalising the candidates.

Aadhar project chief Nandan Nilekani's official entry to the upcoming Lok Sabha polls will be announced soon as the Congress has geared-up with the process of finalising the candidates. Party sources claimed that Nilekani—a key choice of Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi—is almost certain to figure in the list.

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Apart from Nilekani, who has already started his informal campaign in a posh Bangalore South constituency, Mumbai South's sitting MP Milind Deora and Mumbai North Central's representative Priya Dutt's candidature are expected to be announced in the first list.

The Congress' Central Election Committee (CEC)—the apex body chaired by party boss Sonia Gandhi to select candidates—may clear its first list of nominees as early as next week.

Some other candidates for Karnataka may also be announced. "Most of our sitting MPs will get tickets this time," said a source. The ruling party currently has nine sitting MPs from Karnataka.

According to sources, many screening committees of the party have prepared the initial list of probable candidates for each constituency for their respective states while others are in their final stage. The initial list of screening committees in Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Rajasthan are believed be ready for the party brass to take the final call.

The Congress may also kick start its 2014 campaign from Karnataka and a rally is planned on Saturday in Bangalore.