85-yr-old Vora to head Cong campaign panel,Jogi is convener

For instance,Voras son Arun Vora has been given a ticket from Durg City constituency despite the fact that he had lost the last two elections.

The Congress on Tuesday appointed 85-year-old Motilal Vora as the campaign committee chief for the Chhattisgarh Assembly elections. In an attempt to keep influential leader Ajit Jogi happy,the party made him the convener of the 29-member panel in which state Congress president Charan Das Mahant is a member.

The appointment of the octogenarian Vora a Rajya Sabha MP and Congress treasurer as the campaign spearhead is interesting given the fact that Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi has been stressing a great deal on the need to promote youngsters and create a youth leadership in the Congress.

More significant is that Rahuls public proclamations to end the role of family,patronage and money to bring youth into politics has also been given a go by in the distribution of tickets in Chhattisgarh. Winnability factor too has been ignored. For instance,Voras son Arun Vora has been given a ticket from Durg City constituency despite the fact that he had lost the last two elections.

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Besides Voras son,Amitesh Shukla,son of senior Congressman Shyama Charan Shukla,and Preeti Netam,the daughter of Arvind Netam,have bagged tickets besides the wife and son of Ajit Jogi himself. Both Renu Jogi and Amit Jogi have been fielded from Kota and Marwahi seats respectively.

Although Jogi was keen to contest,the party made it clear to him that three members of the family cannot be given tickets. Jogi,sources said,will contest the next Lok Sabha elections.

Sources said the partys decision to announce a campaign committee with Vora as its head has surprised many as it has come very late in the day.

The party has already announced the majority of the candidates and the first phase of polling is just 20 days away.

Yogi Adityanath, Shri Ramswaroop Memorial University, police lathicharge, police lathicharge students, Indian express news, current affairs

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