Sonia, Rahul among 40 star campaigners for J&K polls
*Screening Committee discusses some new names
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Sept 1: While Congress today released the list of its 40 star campaigners including Sonia Gandhi and LOP Rahul Gandhi for J&K elections, the party is likely to release the list of Candidates for the second and third phase of the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, after the meeting of the Central Election Committee of the party tomorrow.
Party sources told the Excelsior that Central Election Committee of the Congress Party will meet under the chairmanship of party president, Mallikarjun Kharge, accompanied by former AICC chief and LOP in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi and other top leaders in the party office in New Delhi at 4 pm on Monday.
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The Committee, the sources said, will discuss the names of the strong contenders for each Assembly constituency for the second and third phase and then finally clear the names of the candidates for each Assembly segment. The meeting may last 2-3 hours and then the list is likely to be released by the AICC general secretary (Org), K C Venugopal late in the evening tomorrow, the sources added.
They further revealed that Congress Screening Committee meeting was held in the Union Capital today evening again under the chairmanship of Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, a Cong MP from Punjab. The other members of the Committee-Sachin Rao and Anto Antony besides AICC general secretary I/C J&K Bharatsinh Solanki and JKPCC president, Tariq Hameed Karra were also present.
During the meeting, the Screening Committee also thoroughly discussed about the fate of some new candidates and others as recommended by the State Election Committee. The members also discussed about the winning probability of the candidates including, Dr Manohar Lal from Billawar, Th Balbir Singh and Pankaj Dogra from Jasrota; Rakesh Choudhary and former MLC Subhash Gupta from Hiranagar and Rakesh Wazir, Jugal Kishore from Katra and Th Balwan Singh from Nagrota.
While party is said to have given verbal directions to JKPCC working president, Raman Bhalla to intensify his poll campaign in Jammu South Constituency, former MP Ch Lal Singh is likely to be fielded from Basohli where he is already campaigning for the last several days.
The CEC will also take a final call about the fate of former Dy Chief Minister Tara Chand, who wants to contest from Chhamb (Khour) Constituency, instead of reserved constituency- Akhnoor, where BJP has fielded a retired SSP Mohan Lal Bhagat.
Sources, however, indicated that from open seat of Chhamb, Satish Sharma, son of former Cong MP, Late Madan Lal Sharma is the front runner. BJP has fielded former Akhnoor MLA, Rajiv Sharma from Chhamb seat, who is facing strong opposition within the party from the local leaders and their supporters.
Sources further said that woman candidate, JKPCC general secretary, Namrata Sharma is the front runner from the Gandhi Nagar-Bahu Assembly seat. Another woman candidates from district Kathua’s hilly constituency – Bani, is likely to be considered by the party.
A party spokesman said that AICC general secretary, I/C J&K Bharatsinh Solanki will reach here on Monday evening. He will hold crucial party meetings on Tuesday and then leave for Srinagar the next day in the afternoon. It is expected that a few people will join Congress tomorrow in his presence and the list may be released by the party for second phase only.
Meanwhile, Congress party released the list of its 40 Star campaigners for the J&K Assembly elections. They are- AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, former presidents Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, senior leaders- Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, K C Venugopal, Ajay Maken, Ambika Soni, Bharatsingh Solanki, Tariq Hameed Karra, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Jairam Ramesh, Ghulam Ahmed Mir, Sachin Pilot. Mukesh Agnihotri, Charanjit Singh Channi, Salman Khurshid, Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, Syed Nasir Hussain, Vikar Rasool Wani, Rajni Patil, Rajiv Shukla, Manish Tiwari, Imran Pratapgarhi, Kishori Lal Sharma, Ranjit Ranjan, Raman Bhalla, Tara Chand, Ch Lal Singh, Peerzada Mohd Sayeed, Imran Masood, Pawan Khera, Supriya Shrinate, Kanhaiya Kumar, Manoj Yadav, Shahnawaz Choudhary, Rajesh Lilothia, Alka Lamba, Srinivas BV and Neeraj Kundan.
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