Gearing up for the 2017 assembly elections the ruling Samajwadi Party wants to make selection of candidates this time more democratic and thus has invited candidature from leaders on various seats from which the candidates feel they can win.
“To start with focus is on those seats which Samajwadi Party had lost in 2012 assembly elections. The party has asked leaders to send their CV as well as their strategy that could help them to win the election this time,” a senior leader told The Pioneer here on Wednesday. There are around 140 assembly seats for which party candidates can stake their claims.
‘’ The application forms would be accepted by next month. The candidates will have to give all their details and the strategy for winning the elections,” the senior party leader said. “Once the selection would be over applications for other seats would be sought,” he said.
The source said that this idea was floated by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav. Idea behind this move is that party lost those constituencies where caste equation did not favour SP and if party can find good candidates through “churning” method it will help strengthening party base in those areas.
“This way we might get new face who has more acceptability than run-of-the-mill candidates,” he said. Sources said that the leadership is also considering to announce the candidate for the next assembly polls by the end of this year so that the candidates get ample time for electioneering. UP elections is slated in February- March, 2017.
It is not the first time SP leadership had invited application from the party leaders to contest polls. In January the party had invited applications from the candidates for the vacant posts of the legislative council where election is slated next month.
Meanwhile, SP spokesperson Rajendra Choudhury said that it is a continuous process to invite application for the candidature of the assembly and council elections only the method changes. “The party has launched many projects and the onus is now on the party leaders and workers to spread the message of good work among the masses,” he said.