Former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Ajit Jogi is reported to have indicated to Congress high command Sonia Gandhi regarding his intention to contest the lok Sabha polls from either Kanker or Mahasamund seat instead of Bilaspur.Party sources here informed that Jogi’s reported choice of constituencies has delayed the final selection of candidates for the lok Sabha seats in Chhattisgarh.
It was also learnt that the State Congress leadership has already suggested names of other candidates for the Kanker and Mahasamund seats.
In the meantime, the contender for the Mahasamund ticket Pratibha Pandey had been reportedly summoned to Delhi by the Congress party leadership for a discussion over the issue.
The State Congress leadership had recommended the name of Pratibha Pandey, daughter of late Union Minister and nine-time Congress MP Vidyacharan Shukla, for the Mahasamund seat. Jogi, who had been previously elected MP from Mahasamund is reportedly interested in contesting the polls from the seat.
However, State Congress President Bhupesh Baghel, leader of the Opposition TS Singh Deo and Congress party In-charge for Chhattisgarh BK Hariprasad have suggested Jogi’s name to contest from the Bilaspur seat.
The former Chief Minister’s name has been placed in the single panel from the Bilaspur seat, it was learnt. Chairman of the Congress party’s Selection Committee for lok Sabha candidates, Oscar Fernandez himself had a talk with Jogi, sources informed.
It is not yet decided from where Jogi will contest the election, but the seat from which his name has emerged, the party is unable to decide the candidates, it was learnt. Meanwhile, son of the former Chief Minister, Amit Jogi has said that his father has expressed his wish not to contest the election. However, it is upto the party High Command where she wants to field him.
According to sources, the name of Abhanpur MlA Dhanendra Sahu has also emerged for Mahasamund seat. However, candidates have almost been decided for some seats, including lakheshwar Baghel from Bastar, Mohammad Akbar from Raipur, Dr Charandas Mahant from Korba and Ramdev Ram from Sarguja.
Due to reported deadlock on the Mahasamund seat, candidates for Durg and Rajnandgaon seats could not be decided. However, the name of Kamaleshwar Verma is at the top from this seat. It is considered that on the condition of the candidature of Pratibha Pandey from Mahasamund, Ghanaram Sahu or Tamradwaj Sahu could be the candidate fielded from Durg seat.
But on the condition of fielding Ajit Jogi or Dhanendra Sahu from Mahasamund, Pradip Choubey could be the candidate from this seat. The name of Rashmi Singh, wife of Ashish Singh Thakur is also under discussion from Bilaspur seat.
The names of Manak Darpatti from Kanker seat and Pushpadevi Singh from Raigarh seat are also on the top of the list. Besides, candidate for Janjgir-Champa seat could be PR Khunte or Padma Manhar.
According to the party sources, brainstorming on the selection of candidates would finally be held on February 27-28. Both the party’s State President and leader of Opposition could be invited for the discussion. It is considered that the list could be released in the first week of March.