Cong may rope in ex-party leaders in Delhi polls
New Delhi: The Delhi Congress, finding it tough to get strong candidates, is seeking to rope in former Congressmen and is also eyeing the AAP legislators who have been denied ticket.
Former Mangolpuri MLA RajKumar Chauhan, who met Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi here on Wednesday, is likely to be named candidate. However, there is no word on his joining the party.
Former MLA Barkha Shukla Singh, sheduled to meet Sonia Gandhi on Thursday, is likely to get the party ticket for the R.K. Puram seat. She had joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) last year.
According to a senior Congress leader, Delhi may see a Haryana like result and the party is set to cross the single-digit mark. The leader is actively involved in Delhi polls and was key points-person in Jharkhand and Maharashtra government formation.
According to sources, senior leader Ajay Maken is unlikely to contest as he told the party leadership that he has some family issues, and has reportedly gone abroad. Despite several attempts, he couldn’t be contacted and text messages on his phone were not replied.
On Monday he had sought time from Sonia Gandhi to think. But he later conveyed to P.C. Chacko, Congress in-charge for Delhi, his inability to contest. Chacko couldn’t be reached on phone.
Delhi Congress Chief Subhash Chopra has claimed that AAP legislators including Adarsh Shastri, denied ticket, were in touch with the party.
The Congress first list is expected on Thursday. The CEC has finalised candidates for half the Assembly seats and the last-minute tweaking is being done.