Congress High Command Issues Guidelines on Choosing Election Candidates
Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network
Bangalore, Dec 20: The state Congress party which is in a jubilant mood with dissidents creating problems in BJP, Yeddyurappa forming new party, and to top it all, the latest poll survey showing clear majority for Congress, received a setback after the high command sent important guidelines on selecting candidates for the upcoming assembly elections.
The Congress high command, reportedly under the instructions of Rahul Gandhi, has set some important rules, which may result in many senior and powerful leaders being sidelined in the coming elections.
The AICC candidate review committee sent the guideline list to KPCC mentioning certain conditions on which one cannot contest for the elections. A candidate who has lost two consecutive times and who has lost deposits in the previous elections cannot contest. Also, there cannot be more than one candidate from a family, and contestants who secured the third place in the last elections or those who lost with a difference of 15,000 votes cannot contest. Those with criminal backgrounds, rebels or those who indulged in cross voting in the recent state MLC elections, and presidents of district Congress committees will not be allowed to contest this time.
The expectations of several Congress aspirants have been shattered after this news. The AICC has asked KPCC not to recommend names that belong to the above criteria.
With all these conditions placed by the AICC, it is clear that some of the Congress members will miss a chance because of the cross voting they did in the last MLC elections. In this regard, a committee headed by V R Sudarshan of KPCC has been formed to track cross-voters.
As per sources, during every election, a guide list similar to this was sent to every state. But somehow aspirants who were not eligible to contest for the election were successful in getting tickets. In reality, some say, these guidelines will only reduce the number of candidates for the forthcoming elections. The number of candidates who lost in the last two or three elections is considerable, and with these conditions, the impact is likely be a major one.
A few Congress activists claim that the guidelines were followed strictly in Gujarat and most importantly Rahul Gandhi personally worked on the matter.
With Congress party being termed as the favourites to win, there is strong competition between aspirants to obtain tickets.
Top leaders of Congress such as K H Muniyappa, Siddaramaiah, Mallikarjuna Kharge, S M Krishna and others are hopeful of contesting as they are in the good books of the high command.
Mangalore Assembly Seat : J R Lobo, Rohan Monteiro Front Runners?
Like every elections, this time too, the Mangalore assembly seat is going to be the centre of attraction, as there are at least six aspirants from the Christian community lined up for the ticket. The constituency has been unofficially reserved by Congress for a Christian candiate.
A senior congress leader who requested anonymity told daijiworld that people are in favour of J R Lobo or Rohan Monteiro as both receive massive support, both from within and outside the community.
"Oscar Fernandes, Veerappa Moily and Janardhan Poojary have reportedly sent the above two names to the high command. But youngsters like Arun Coelho, Dolphy D'Souza, Naveen D'Souza and Shalet Pinto from Kinnigoli are also serious contendars. If Rahul Gandhi can be convinced, then one of these might also get a ticket," said the senior Congress person.