Lok Sabha elections 2024: Eyeing better show, Congress mulls fielding former chief ministers, senior leaders

New Delhi: The Congress is considering fielding former chief ministers and other senior leaders with considerable clout, such as Ashok Gehlot and Bhupesh Baghel, in the Lok Sabha elections, particularly in northern states where it only secured around a dozen seats five years ago.

Sources said the rationale behind the move is that these leaders are thought to have higher winnability owing to their stature in states and might help add to the Congress tally if they can pull off seats other than what the party can win otherwise, particularly in vulnerable seats.

Such demands have already been raised in state units of Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh.

Although there is no official word on the move, sources suggest that former Chief Ministers Gehlot, Baghel, and Bhupinder Hooda, along with former Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister TS Singhdeo, may be approached to contest the elections in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Haryana respectively.

A senior leader said that the basic idea is to put up a strong fight in states where the Congress performance was dismal in the 2019 elections and send a signal to the cadre that the party is serious in the fight. However, it is not clear whether the leaders are keen to stick their neck out for the national election.

Sources indicated that Baghel and Singhdeo, who lost a closely fought Assembly election late last year, have expressed their inability or disinterest in contesting the elections. Hooda has also indicated that he would not be contesting, while his son, Rajya Sabha MP Deepender Hooda, may enter the fray.

In a recent meeting in Rajasthan, senior leader CP Joshi is reported to have suggested that all senior leaders, including Gehlot, Sachin Pilot, and himself, should enter the electoral battle to ensure a tough fight against the BJP.

Party workers are keen for Gehlot to contest from Jodhpur, where his son Vaibhav has previously contested twice and lost. Gehlot's stance remains undisclosed, as it is to be seen whether he would be keen to vacate space in state politics, which he has been assiduously guarding for years.

Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, who may be approached to contest, stated that his son and sitting MP Nakul Nath would commence campaigning in the family's stronghold of Chhindwara after the Congress leadership announces candidates. Nath dismissed rumours about himself contesting the Lok Sabha polls.

Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka may see a couple of sitting ministers fighting the Lok Sabha elections while former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan may also be asked to contest.

In Rajasthan, Congress did not win a single seat out of 25, while in Chhattisgarh it won two out of 11, and in Madhya Pradesh, one out of 25. Punjab was the only north Indian state where the Congress performed well, winning seven out of 13, while it won one out of 80 in Uttar Pradesh and one out of four in Himachal Pradesh.

It did not win a single seat in Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Uttarakhand, and Haryana.

The move to field top guns also comes against the backdrop of Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy demanding that UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi contest from one of the 17 seats in the state. This comes amid speculation that Sonia may retire from active electoral politics and enter Parliament taking the Rajya Sabha route.

However, sources said no decision has been taken, and if Sonia decides to fight from Telangana, there will be clamour for Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to fight from Rae Bareli.

It is also to be seen whether Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge contests Lok Sabha elections from Kalaburgi. Sources said he is keen to contest but due to his organisational responsibilities, he may have to sit out. “The party will take a call at the right time,” a senior leader said.