Cong screening panel yet to shortlist Delhi poll candidates

Cong screening panel yet to shortlist Delhi poll candidates

The Screening Committee of Congress today could not shortlist candidates for Delhi Assembly polls but firmed up broad criteria for selecting them.

The Screening Committee headed by V Narayanasamy asked Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and DPCC President J P Agarwal to prepare a panel of candidates for each constituency.

Sources said the Screening Committee will meet again tomorrow to shortlist the candidates after Dikshit and Agarwal submit the list.

They said the Screening Committee will also examine whether the shortlisted aspirants fulfilled the criteria and guidelines for selection of candidates.

The sources said Dikshit and Agarwal have already finalised panel of candidates for 28 seats where Congress candidates were defeated in last Assembly polls.

They said almost all sitting MLAs barring a few are likely to be nominated.

Besides, Narayansamy, other members of the Screening Committee include Bhubaneshwar Kalita, Shakeel Ahmed, J P Agarwal, Dikshit and Kuldip Nagra.

The 27-member Election Committee in its three meetings had failed to finalise a list of probable candidates following differences among the members and left it to the Screening panel to shortlist the ticket aspirants.

Dikshit was in favour of giving tickets to all sitting MLAs barring those facing criminal charges but some Election Committee members opposed her views arguing that it will defeat Rahul Gandhi's call for giving voice to grass root workers in selection of candidates.

Around 1,600 Congress men have applied for tickets.

Sources said the list of probable candidates will be sent to AICC Central Election Committee headed by Sonia Gandhi which is likely to meet on October 22 and 23.