Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The Congress decided to announce the names of candidates six months before the election, but the party is yet to complete its exercises for it. Since it could not be done, the party is pulling out all the stops to announce the first list of candidates in September.
The Congress leaders wanted the party bosses to declare the names of some candidates six months before the polls so that they may work in their constituencies.
Nevertheless, MPCC president Kamal Nath did not agree about the proposal. Nath felt that he would spark internal squabbling in the party and the BJP take its advantage. This is the reason that Nath is in mood to announce the first list of candidates just two months before the election.
Former minister Sajjan Singh Verma advocated for announcement of the first list of candidates six months before the polls. Arun Yadav and Ajay Singh were also in favour of it.
According to sources, the first list may carry more than 50 names. It will contain the names of those candidates who are sure to get tickets.
They are Leader of Opposition Govind Singh, former minister Jaiwardhan Singh, Jitu Patwari, Kamaleshwar Patel, Suukhdev Panse, Surendra Baghel, Tarun Bhanot, Lakhan Gnahghoria, Priyabrit Singh, Lakhan Singh Yadav, Omkar Singh Markam, PC Sharma, Vijaylakshmi Sadho, Sachin Yadav and Bala Bachchan.
The first list may also contain the names of legislators NP Prajapati, Satish Sikarwar, Praveen Pathak, Vikram Singh, Alok Chaturvedi, Hina Kanwre, Sanjay Sharma, Arif Masood, Sanjay Shukla, KP Singh and Mahesh Parmar.
Apart from them, the names of Ajay Singh, Ramniwas Rawa and others may figure in the first list. According to former minister Sajjan Singh Verma, the party may release the list by the end of next month or in the beginning of September.
