Himachal: Congress candidates list likely by April 10

Shimla, March 27

The Congress candidates for Lok Sabha elections as well as Assembly byelections are likely to be announced before April 10. It was decided at the meeting of the party’s coordination committee, chaired by AICC in-charge for Himachal Rajeev Shukla in Chandigarh today. The committee comprises Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, state Congress president Pratibha Singh, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, Health Minister Dhani Ram Shandil and veteran leaders Ram Lal Thakur and Kaul Singh.

According to party sources, the second meeting of the committee will be held in Delhi on April 6. “By then, the record from the field will be finalised. The party will then name all the candidates before April 10,” the source said.

Following the meeting, the possibility of Congress state president Pratibha Singh taking on BJP candidate Kangana Ranaut in Mandi parliamentary constituency has also brightened up. “In all probability she will be our candidate from Mandi. The final decision in this regard, though, will be taken by the Central Election Committee,” the source said. It may be mentioned that Pratibha Singh had outrightly refused to contest the elections a few days back.

The rebellion in the BJP ranks after the party gave Assembly tickets to the Congress rebels and Independents was also discussed at the meeting. The Congress might also opt to field some BJP rebels in the Assembly bypoll. The BJP, meanwhile, has taken a headstart by naming the candidates for the Lok Sabha as well as for Assembly bypoll.