SP may rework candidate list

After announcing its candidates for more than 50 constituencies in order to force the Congress to quickly finalise the seat-sharing arrangement,ahead of the Lok Sabha elections,the Samjawadi Party is now learnt to be contemplating changing few of its candidates so that more winnable candidates can be fielded in their place.

Sources said the local units from at least two districts — Ghazipur and Sitapur — have advised the SP’s central leadership regarding more winnable candidates as against those already announced. The SP had announced Radhey Shyam Singh from Ghazipur and Ranjana Vajpayee from Sitapur as its candidate. Local party workers from Ghazipur had publicly protested against the candidate announced by the party.

Further,the party may consider fielding sitting MP Rubab Sayeda from Shravasti constituency replacing her husband Dr Waqar Ahmed Shah,who is an SP MLA from the state. Sources said the party would not like to face Assembly bypoll in the event Shah wins and hence,wants to re-nominate Sayeda from Shravasti. However,sources added that a final decision will be taken only after the January 22 MLC election in the state.