Lok Sabha polls 2024: Congress panel to meet today to decide on candidates in 12 states

New Delhi: The first meeting of the Congress' Central Election Committee (CEC) to consider and decide candidates for 12 states, including for Karnataka, for Lok Sabha polls will be held on Thursday evening. 

Sources said candidates of Delhi, Chattisgarh, Rajasthan, Telangana, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Manipur, Meghalaya, Tripura, Nagaland and Sikkim are likely to be discussed in the meeting. It is not clear whether the party will announce the candidates for these states on Thursday itself or a couple of days later.

The screening committees of different states have already met and forwarded names to the CEC. There is speculation that Rahul Gandhi will be fielded from Amethi and Wayanad again, while Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will fight from Rae Bareli. However, party leaders said no decision has been taken yet and the CEC is the forum to take such a decision.

The party has entered into election mode and its manifesto panel has finished its job.

Congress draft manifesto based on Nyay (Justice) on Wednesday was submitted to party chief Mallikarjun Kharge who said the party is always committed to the welfare and development of India.

Manifesto Committee chairperson P Chidambaram presented the draft, which was finalised on Tuesday, to Kharge at his residence. Panel members Shashi Tharoor, K Raju, Gurdeep Sappal and Imran Pratapgarhi were also present.

"From green revolution and white revolution to building PSUs, from telecom & IT revolution to liberalisation, from inclusive governance to rights based paradigm -- the Indian National Congress has always been committed to the welfare and development of India," Kharge posted on X after receiving the draft.

"Our draft manifesto based on NYAY for the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections is ready and was presented to me, today, by the Congress Manifesto Committee," he said.

The draft will now be discussed by the Congress Working Committee before giving its approval. Sources said  the manifesto will be based on the 'justice' plank highlighted by Rahul Gandhi during his ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra and is likely to promise Caste Census as well as a legislation to guarantee minimum support price for various crops.