Sunday, 18 February 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
Amid reluctance shown by top leaders of the State, the meeting of the screening committee of the Congress party was held in New Delhi on Saturday. In the meeting discussion on the probable candidates of the party for the five Lok Sabha constituencies of the state was held. The meeting was chaired by the chairman of the screening committee Bhaktcharan Dass. In the meeting held in the presence of the State in charge of the party Kumari Selja, discussions on the names of the candidates was held with the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) Karan Mahara and the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Vidhan Sabha Yashpal Arya.
The Congress leadership held discussion on the prevailing political situation in the State, the position of the alliance partners of INDI Alliance and the best candidates the party can field in the Lok Sabha elections in the meeting of the screening committee.
The party had asked the leaders interested to contest the Lok Sabha elections to submit their applications in the party office till February 12. It is learnt that a total of 16 leaders submitted their nominations. From Tehri Lok Sabha seat Jot Singh Gunsola, Naveen Joshi, Vishal Dobhal, Rajneesh Jayal and Sunita Prakash have expressed willingness to contest. In Pauri, the president of Mahila Congress Jyoti Rautela and Dhirendra Pratap has submitted their applications while in Almora- Pithoragarh (SC) seat Asha Lal is the lone applicant. Ganesh Upadhyaya and Deepak Balutia have expressed willingness to contest from Nainital- Udham Singh Nagar seat. In Hardiwar Rajpal Kharola, Devendra Singh, Satish Dubey, Telu Ram, Ashok Bagwadi and Vijay Kumar Kashyap have thrown their hats.
The list clearly shows that second rung leaders have come forward to contest the Lok Sabha elections in view of the reluctance shown by the senior leaders. Former chief minister Harish Rawat who is very active in Haridwar district from last two years has expressed desire that his son should be considered for the party ticket from the constituency. Former cabinet minister Harak Singh Rawat had earlier expressed his desire to contest from Haridwar but after the recent raids of Enforcement Directorate (ED) on his residence and premises he seems to have dropped the idea. Former PCC president Pritam Singh who had unsuccessfully contested last Lok Sabha elections from Tehri seat has also expressed his unwillingness this time. In Pauri, a section of party unit wanted the former PCC president Ganesh Godiyal to contest but he too has shown reluctance. Here the party could again give the ticket to Manish Khanduri who had lost the seat to Teerath Singh Rawat of BJP in the year 2019. Similarly a large section of the party wants that the LoP Arya should contest from Almora- Pithoragarh (SC) seat but he has also expressed his unwillingness to contest the elections.
Will contest LS polls with full might in U’khand: Mahara
PNS/ DEHRADUN: The Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Karan Mahara has said that the Congress party will contest all the five Lok Sabha seats in Uttarakhand with its full might. He said that names of 35 leaders for the five seats were discussed in the meeting of screening committee in New Delhi on Saturday. Mahara said that the winability of the candidates was also discussed and best candidates will be fielded by the party in all the five seats. He said that one more round of meeting will be held to finalise the names of the candidates.
