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With the imposition of the Model Code of Conduct for Lok Sabha polls around the corner, the process of finalising candidates for Delhi has gathered pace with an announcement to this effect likely by the Congress later this week, sources said.
Sources said around a dozen names were being assessed from a panel of probables for the three Lok Sabha seats — Chandni Chowk, Northwest and Northeast — which constitute the Congress’s share of the seven Parliamentary seats in the city. The AAP, its INDIA partner, has already declared candidates on four seats in Delhi. “The panel of possible candidates includes both current office bearers as well as former elected representatives; the party seems to be in favour of a mix of both. These are, of course, open to modification as per the high command’s decision,” a senior leader said.
The Congress screening committee, as per sources, is scheduled to meet over the coming days to assess candidates, which the party is likely to declare on the weekend following the nod of the Central Election Committee.
Sources said All India Mahila Congress president Alka Lamba, ex-MLA Harishankar Gupta and former MP Sandeep Dikshit were front runners from Chandni Chowk while Delhi Congress chief Arvinder Singh Lovely, former Delhi Congress chief Chaudhary Anil Kumar and senior Delhi leader Chattar Singh were in contention from the Northeast Delhi seat. Former JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar, sources said, was also in the race.
From Northwest Delhi, according to sources, former Union Minister Krishna Tirath, ex-Delhi Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan, former MP Udit Raj, and ex-Bawana MLA Surender Kumar were under consideration.
A senior party leader said the Congress had the “highest hope” of securing the Northeast Delhi Lok Sabha seat where it was expecting, and hoping to counter, polarisation along religious lines on the basis of former party president Rahul Gandhi’s thrust on the OBC vote bank.
“From past electoral experience, we have reason to believe that the Northeast Delhi seat, which borders Uttar Pradesh, is likely to be polarised along religious lines, which can be remedied only by contesting the polls on the issue of OBC representation,” the leader said.
“There is a sizable population of OBC as well as SC voters in areas which fall under the Parliamentary constituency; there is also immense support there that we witnessed during the Bharat Jodo Yatra. The party believes Rahul ji’s push on the OBC issue can strike a chord with residents there,” the leader added.
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