New Delhi: In preparation for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the Congress' central election committee finalized the names of 40 candidates, including that of Rahul Gandhi, who is set to seek re-election from Kerala's Wayanad, sources revealed.
Chaired by party president Mallikarjun Kharge, the committee discussed a total of 60 Lok Sabha seats spanning across 11 states and union territories. Among the deliberated regions were Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Sikkim, Tripura, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya, and Lakshadweep.
Congress' legislature party leader V D Satheesan disclosed that the party would contest 16 seats in Kerala, with its allies vying for four seats in the state. He mentioned that the candidates for the 16 seats have been finalized by the committee, with the official announcement slated for the following day.
In addition to contesting from Wayanad, Rahul Gandhi's candidature is expected from Amethi, a seat he previously held, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is likely to contest from Rae Bareli, a stronghold previously represented by Sonia Gandhi.
Former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel and former minister Tamradhwaj Sahu are among the finalised candidates for the upcoming polls, with Baghel set to contest from Rajnandgaon and Sahu from Mahasamund. Congress general secretary (organisation) K C Venugopal is also among the finalised candidates.
While the BJP has already announced its first list of candidates for the Lok Sabha elections, the Congress is expected to declare its list soon to commence campaigning.
The committee meeting, attended by senior leaders including former party chief Sonia Gandhi, discussed various aspects of candidate selection and electoral strategy. Additionally, screening committees in various state units have already convened to nominate probable candidates for their respective regions.
The anticipation is high as the electoral battleground gears up, with political parties making strategic moves and finalizing their lineups ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.