Party 'agrees' on 30 poll nominees

There seems to be an agreement in the Delhi Congress over the next lot of 30 contestants for the Assembly polls, even as former minister Kiran Walia is said to be giving former speaker Yoganand Shastri a tough challenge for bagging the party ticket from Malviya Nagar constituency.

For the New Delhi constituency, the party has received a dozen applications, said a party leader.

“Since former chief minister Sheila Dikshit is not going to contest from the New Delhi seat, the party is trying to look for a strong candidate to win the seat,” said a party leader.

Sources said Dikshit’s sister Rama Dhawan was also in contention for getting a party ticket from the seat. “This might send a message to voters that Dikshit, a former three-time legislator from the constituency, is still active in the area,” said a party leader.

Walia, who stood third in the vote tally in December 2013 polls in Malviya Nagar, is reported to have told party seniors about her intention to once again fight from the same seat.

“She also has the backing of former chief minister Sheila Dikshit,” said a party leader.

Shastri lost the last elections from Mehrauli and is reported to be keen to fight the next polls from Malviya Nagar.

In Shastri’s place, the party has given the ticket for former mayor Satbir Singh.

“If Shastri does not get a ticket from Malviya Nagar, then the party will have to give the Jat leader a ticket from Narela which has a large presence of Jat community voters,” said a leader.

Among the probables in the next list of 30 names are former Speaker Yoganand Shastri, Kunwar Karan Singh (Model Town), Mangat Ram Singhal (Adarsh Nagar), Nand Kishore (Vikaspuri) and Chatter Singh (Trinagar), said a party leader.

President Pranab Mukherjee’s daughter Sharmistha Mukherjee is more or less confirmed to get the party ticket from Greater Kailash seat.

In the Timarpur seat, in place of Surinder Pal Bittoo the ticket has also been sought by Ragini Nayak.

In Dwarka constituency, former MP Mahabal Mishra’s son Vinay Mishra is the front runner for getting the party ticket.
DH News Service