Uncertainty over Congress’ official nominees from Indore-1 and Indore-2 Assembly constituencies continuing for the two days ended on Saturday following an official letter of State Congress committee chief Kantilal Bhuria.
In the letter Bhuria putting an end to impasse over official candidates from these two constituencies, stamped the candidature of Pradip Yadav alias Dipu Yadav and Chhotu Shukla as official nominees of the Congress from Indore-1 and Indore-2 Assembly constituencies.
Few days back, the Congress in its second list of party candidates had declared the candidature of Vishal Agnihotri and Mohan Sengar as its official candidates from Indore-1 and Indore-2. However, the party’s move to declare candidature of both these candidates backfired with top contenders for the party tickets from these constituencies raising a banner of revolt against the party’s decision.
Sanjay Shukla who was one of the top contenders for party ticket from Indore-1 even threatened to quit the party, accusing Indore city Congress committee president Pramod Tandon of selling party tickets for both these constituencies. Kamlesh Khandelwal who was another top contender for the party ticket from Indore-1 also expressed his displeasure over declaration of candidature of Vishal Agnihotri from Indore-1 and announced to file his nomination paper as an independent candidate from the constituency.
Similarly, in Indore-2 Assembly constituency, top contender for the party ticket Chintu Choukse and his supporter openly expressed their displeasure over declaration of the candidature of Mohan Sengar from the constituency and decided to file his nomination paper as an independent candidature.
Apparently realising possible damage to the prospect of party in these two crucial constituencies on account of open report against party’s official candidates, was compelled to change party candidates from both these constituencies accordingly announced the candidature of Pradip Yadav from Indore-1 and Chotu Shukla from Indore-2 Assembly segment. However, irrespective of party’s decision, both Kamlesh Khandelwal and Vishal Agnihotri filed their nomination papers from Indore-1 even before party changed its candidature from Indore-1 and announced the candidature of Pradeep alias Deepu Yadav who filed his nomination papers yesterday.
Similarly, in Indore-2, Mohan Sengar filed his nomination forms before the party changed its candidate, announcing the candidature of Chotu Shukla from Indore-2, who also filed his nomination forms on Friday. Surprisingly, all the Congress candidates who filed their nomination papers form both these constituencies had mentioned in the name of Indian National Congress as their party in the B forms, thereby creating confusion for the returning officer. The confusion however, ended with Bhuria declaring Pradip Yadav and Chhoutu Shukla as party’s official candidature from Indore-1 and Indore-2 respectively.