Cong may declare LS candidates for HP later this month: Leader of opposition

The Congress may declare its candidates later this month for the four Lok Sabha seats in Himachal Pradesh, a party leader said Friday.

Mukesh Agnihotri, the Leader of Opposition in Himachal Assembly, told PTI that the process of finalising the candidates had already begun.

A total of 42 party leaders applied to get tickets for the four seats till February 4, the final date for filing applications.

Agnihotri said a five-member screening committee would soon meet to shortlist them.

The committee includes Himachal Congress president Kuldeep Singh Rathore, leader of opposition Mukesh Agnihotri, AICC in-charge for Himachal Congress Rajni Patil, co-in charge Gurkirat Singh Kotli and AICC general secretary (organisation) Venu Gopal.

The screening committee will soon meet and recommend to the Congress Election Committee (CEC) two to three probable candidates for each of the four seats, he added.

Subsequently, the CEC will consider their names and hopefully the party president Rahul Gandhi will declare the party candidates for the four seats of this hilly state later this month, he added.