LS polls: Cong first list likely this week

There’s a possibility that the first list of Congress candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls will be released this week. According to sources, decisions on candidate nominations for many states are expected by March 7. Additionally, the list may include seats where BJP has already announced its candidates, covering states such as Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Kerala. These state names are likely to feature in the initial list. The release of the first list is anticipated shortly after the CEC meeting.

Sunil Kanugolu, an election strategist, shall have a significant influence and control over the process of candidate selection for the Congress party in the Lok Sabha elections. If reports are accurate, Rahul Gandhi will only endorse candidates whose names appear on the list curated by Kanugolu. Poll strategist Sunil Kanugolu has been proven to be the man with the Midas touch, plotting amazing turnaround for Congress in Telangana, months after being the architect of the Congress party’s return to power in Karnataka. Kanugolu was largely credited for shaping the Congress’ win in Karnataka.

Allegedly, Kanugolu has nearly completed the compilation of a strong candidate list for each state following a thorough survey. These lists have been submitted to Rahul Gandhi after careful consideration. The final selection of candidates will be based on a comparison between Kanugolu’s lists and the panels presented by the Rahul Scrutiny Committee during the Central Election Committee meeting scheduled for Thursday.
Approval will be granted upon green signal from Rahul Gandhi. However, on that day, Rahul Gandhi is expected to travel to Gujarat via Rajasthan as part of his Nyaya Yatra. It is understood that he will return to Delhi later in the evening to attend the meeting.

According to sources, the scrutiny committee within the Central Election Committee will include one to two names in its panel. It is reported that Rahul Gandhi will not compromise on ticket distribution this time. Many prominent leaders from various states, including Rajasthan, have declined to contest the elections. Consequently, there is pressure on leaders to take responsibility for ensuring the victory of candidates in their respective areas.