‘Leaders can push their suitable kin’

The Congress’ ticket distribution in Rajasthan has been bogged down by demands from senior leaders to field their relatives as candidates in constituencies of their choice.

It is learnt that over 20 such ‘‘kith and kin’’ are seeking tickets this year, even as CM Ashok Gehlot claims there is ‘‘nothing wrong’’ in it. Some veterans who are in the race for their relatives are Parsuram Maderna (Jodhpur), Sis Ram Ola (Jhunjhunu), Hiralal Indora (Ganganagar), Narendra Bhudania (Churu) and Ram Narain Chowdhary (Ajmer), AICC sources said. AICC guidelines on the selection of candidates specify that relatives of politicians should not be given tickets arbitrarily. Their names are to be listed with other candidates aspiring for each seat. The AICC will decide if the relative of a politician has the charisma to clinch the seat for the party. Senior Congress leaders are pushing for some relaxation in this mode of selection.

Gehlot said: ‘‘There is nothing wrong with relatives of senior politicians seeking to contest… But the tickets will be decided by AICC.’’ Indicating that ‘‘winnability’’ will be the deciding factor, he said the final decision will be taken after Diwali.