Congress’s list of all candidates is ready

A day ahead of the beginning of filing of nominations, the Congress on Thursday finalised the names of its candidates in the meeting of the screening committee held

A day ahead of the beginning of filing of nominations, the Congress on Thursday finalised the names of its candidates in the meeting of the screening committee held in New Delhi. The list of the candidates, however, is expected to be released only after the official announcement of the alliance between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Shiv Sena.

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The Congress is expected to release the first list of 47 candidates on Friday. A few sitting MLAs, including former chief minister Prithviraj Chavan, Aslam Shaikh and Bharat Bhalke, may not figure on the first list. Congress is considering Chavan for Satara bypoll, while other two have moved closer to the BJP in last few months, according to party leaders.

The central screening committee, headed by former Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and comprising senior leaders from the state, finalised the names of 105 candidates through various rounds of their meetings in Delhi until late evening. The Central Election Committee (CEC), headed by interim party president Sonia Gandhi, has given its final nod to the list. The screening committee also finalised the remaining names, taking the number to 125 constituencies, the party is contesting as part of the alliance. The entire list is expected to be finalised in the next two days.

“After getting nod for 105 names from the CEC, we have almost zeroed in on the remaining 20-22 seats during the screening committee meeting. The entire list of 125 candidates will be finalised in the next couple of days,” said Vijay Wadettiwar, leader of the opposition in the legislative Assembly. The Congress has decided to the renominate all its sitting MLAs.

The Congress and NCP have decided to contest 125 seats each and share 38 seats with smaller allies.

Chavan may take on Bhonsle in Satara Lok Sabha bypoll

The Congress is expected to field former chief minister and senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan in the Satara Lok Sabha bypoll to be held on October 21. The polls are necessitated as Nationalist Congress Party’s sitting MP and king Shivaji’s 13th direct descendent Udayanraje Bhonsle resigned recently to join the BJP. Chavan is not keen on it. NCP chief Sharad Pawar reportedly spoke to Sonia Gandhi pushing for the candidature of Chavan. “All of us want Chavansaab to contest from Satara as things are moving in our favour. The discussion over the candidature (of Chavan) is moving in the right direction,” said Wadettiwar, leader of opposition in the legislative Assembly.