Ticket tussle: Cong top brass fight for family, loyalists

This fight for tickets has brought warring Congress factions in close confrontation with one another. Virbhadra, say sources, wants a largescale change in ticket allocation. “I don’t mind if some of the sitting MLAs are denied tickets to field new faces. That will substantially improve the party’s prospects,” he said.

Virbhadra himself is backing five sitting MLAs — the Congress rebels elected as Independents in 2003 elections. They were made associated members in the House to support the Congress. But all of them are reportedly facing stiff opposition from party veterans like Vidya Stokes. Vidya wants a Congress ticket to be given to Rakesh Verma, who had once defeated her in Theog in 1993 elections.

Congress insiders say the party doesn’t have any problem in renominating 32 sitting MLAs and ministers who can defend their seats despite the BJP’s upsurge in Kangra, Hamirpur, Mandi, Sirmaur and Bilaspur districts.

However, 13 candidates who lost to the BJP in 2003, and a few controversial names, including present minister Singhi Ram (Rampur), are struggling for tickets.

EC for ‘vulnerability mapping’

Shimla: The Election Commission team, which reached here on Saturday, has asked the Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police to undertake “vulnerability mapping” and ensure that the weaker sections are not prevented from voting. In a major deviation from the relaxations given to the voters in the tribal belt, the EC has decided that voters who don’t have photo I-cards should be barred from voting.