Himachal Congress leaders lobby for ticket to loyalists - Hindustan Times
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Himachal Congress leaders lobby for ticket to loyalists

By, Shimla
Sep 30, 2022 10:34 PM IST

As the screening committee is likely to meet again on October 2, Himachal Congress leaders are camping in New Delhi intensely lobbying for ticket to their loyalists.

With the Congress screening committee meeting again in the first week of October to give final shape to the list of candidates for the Himachal Pradesh assembly polls on all 68 seats, intraparty groups are intensely lobbying in New Delhi for the tickets.

Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee chief Pratibha Singh is strongly insisting on tickets for her loyalists. (ANI File Photo)
Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee chief Pratibha Singh is strongly insisting on tickets for her loyalists. (ANI File Photo)

Two days after Congress president Sonia Gandhi-headed central election committee met in New Delhi to hold pre-poll discussions, Congress leaders and ticket aspirants are camping in the national capital. The Congress Central Election Committee (CEC) approved the names of 39 candidates out of the 68 assembly segments for the upcoming assembly elections.

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The CEC approved the names of all the 20 sitting legislators whose names were earlier cleared by the Pradesh Election Committee (PEC) and later screened by a three-member panel headed by former union minister Deepa Dasmunsi.

As the screening committee is likely to meet again on October 2, leaders are camping in New Delhi lobbying intensely for their supporters. Pradesh Congress Committee chief Pratibha Singh skipped the rally organised at Sujanpur on Thursday in Hamirpur district. Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel was the main speaker in the rally organised to exhibit its strength ahead of the elections. All the three main rival groups in the Congress are engaged in last-moment lobbying before the screening committee goes into huddles again to give final shape to the list of candidates. Pratibha last evening met Sonia at her residence at 10 Janpath. Pratibha reportedly apprised the party high command about the political situation in the state and also held discussions on the tickets, a day after Virbhadra Singh’s one-time close lieutenant Harsh Mahajan switched sides to the BJP, blaming the mother-son duo for the sad state of affairs in the party.

Speculations are rife that the BJP could pit Mahajan from the Shimla urban seat or else he could be asked to contest the election from Chamba. Mahajan had been keeping away from electoral politics for the last 15 years even though he has been a minister and MLA thrice from Chamba.

Pratibha is also unhappy over a few of her loyalists not being considered for the elections. It is one of the main reasons being cited for Pratibha skipping the rally.

She is strongly insisting on tickets for her supporters while Congress legislature party leader Mukesh Agnihotri and Sukhwinder Singh Thakur are vying for tickets for their men.

Both Sukhu and Mukesh are likely to return to Delhi tonight. The panel will shortlist the candidates on merits after considering different surveys conducted by the party. Congress general secretary (organisation) Rajneesh Kimta, who is considered close to AICC in charge of Himachal affairs Rajiv Shukla, is vying for the ticket from Chopal, while former legislator Subash Manglate is also a strong contender.

On the other hand, the screening committee is yet to discuss the panel of candidates for Theogh from where former PCC chief Kuldeep Rathore and former district president Kehar Singh Khachi, who is considered close to Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, are seeking tickets along with Deepak Rathore and Indu Verma, wife of former BJP legislator Rakesh Verma.

Screening Committee had yet not shortlisted names from Kangra, the biggest district which has 15 assembly segments and is known for tilting political scales. The screening committee had cleared the names of AICC secretary and former urban development minister Sudhir Sharma, but the CEC later withheld his candidature. Similarly, the CEC also withheld the name of Hardeep Singh Bawa, INTUC president from Nalagarh. Bawa is considered close to both Pratibha and Agnihotri. Pratibha was seeking a ticket for Hari Chand from Manali while the screening committee had approved the name of Bhubaneshwar Gaur.

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  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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    Gaurav Bisht heads Hindustan Times’ Himachal bureau. He covers politics in the hill state and other issues concerning the masses.

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