Congress’s first list for the state polls was seen by experts as a balancing act by party chief Rahul Gandhi to take all sections on board.
Congress leaders Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia during a roadshow. (File Photo: IANS)
The Congress declared its first list of 155 candidates for the Madhya Pradesh assembly elections, including 21 women and 24 fresh faces.
Congress’s first list for the state that goes to polls on November 28 was seen by experts as a balancing act by party chief Rahul Gandhi to take all sections on board.
The party, on expected lines, renominated 46 MLAs while dropping Govardhan Upadhyay, Shakuntala Khatik and Manoj Kumar, sitting MLAs from Sironj, Kerera and Kotma respectively.
Advertisement
They have been replaced by Ashok Tyagi, Jaswant Jatav and Sunil Saraf.
Interestingly, the Congress has nominated Dr Hiralal Alawa, convener of the tribal political outfit Jai Adivasi Yuva Shakti (JAYS), from the Manawar seat in Dhar district. The Congress-JAYS were in talks for an alliance, especially in the Nimar-Malwa region where the BJP has a formidable following.
The party issued its second list of 16 candidates which included five sitting Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and several new faces.
In a late night development, the Congress announced its third list comprising of 13 candidates for Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls.
29 candidates featured in the fourth list released by the Congress.
The Congress released its fifth and final list of 16 candidates for the Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls, taking the total number of declared candidatures to 229.
Later, Congress named Tilak Raj Singh as its MLA candidate for the Manpur seat taking the total to 230 seats.
In the current assembly, the Congress has 57 MLAs.
Out of power for 15 years in the country’s fifth-largest state, the state Congress campaign for this year’s elections has been spearheaded by campaign committee chief Jyotiraditya Scindia and state Congress president Kamal Nath.
Kamal Nath and Jyotiraditya Scindia, both considered chief minister aspirants, are Lok Sabha MPs and will not contest the polls.
Kamal Nath is a nine-time MP from Chhindwara while Scindia represents Guna in the Lok Sabha.
Counting of votes would take place on December 11.
(With agency inputs)
Advertisement
