Dikshit asks district and block chiefs to name three probables for Assembly polls

The Congress has started preparing for the Delhi Assembly elections due early 2020, with its Delhi unit chief Sheila Dikshit asking district and block presidents to submit names of three probables, including a woman, by June 22.

Leaders of the Delhi Congress met Tuesday to deliberate upon the forthcoming Assembly polls.

"Dikshit asked the district and block committee presidents to submit a list of three names each, including that of a woman, from their respective areas for selection of the Congress candidates for the Assembly elections," according to a statement issued by the party.

Local Congress leaders see a good chance of the party's revival in Delhi after its improved performance in the Lok Sabha polls.

Although Congress failed to win any seat, party candidates pushed the AAP on third place on five of the seven parliamentary constituencies.

The district and block presidents will submit names of the probables from their respective areas by June 22 as Dikshit has expressed her wish for finalising names of the party candidates in Assembly polls as early as possible, the statement stated.

According to a senior party leader, the party candidates were announced "very late" in the Lok Sabha elections which is considered as one reason behind the Congress's "poor show".

"Such feedback is being received by the five member committee formed by Dikshit to go into the reasons for the party's debacle in the parliamentary polls," he said.

The committee is expected to submit its report to the Delhi Congress president in coming days.

Delhi Congress working presidents Haroon Yusuf and Rajesh Lilothia, party spokespersons Ramakant Goswami and Jitender Kochar attended the meeting besides several district and block presidents.