The race for ticket seems to have begun again for Sujanpur Assembly seat as over 13 aspirants have applied for Congress ticket, including Anita Rana wife of Rajendra Rana, the Congress candidate for Hamirpur parliamentary seat.
A three member committee constituted by Himachal Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) chief Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu for deciding the panel of names for the Sujanpur seat met on Friday to shortlist names among the aspirants.
However, only two members, including Irrigation Minister Vidya Stokes and Transport Minister GS Bali were present during the meeting. Third member Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur could not attend the meeting excusing himself due to the campaign of Congress candidate for Mandi parliamentary seat Pratibha Singh touring his Darang Assembly segment in Mandi district
Total of 13 aspirants have applied for the ticket by paying fees of Rs10,000 with Congress Hamirpur district level committee. The committee headed by Stokes finalised two separate panels ‘A’ and ‘B’ of names of ticket aspirants.
The first panel ‘A’ comprises the names of the first timer which included Anita Rana- wife of former Sujanpur legislator Rajendra Rana, Congress Hamirpur district President Naresh Thakur and district secretary Arun Thakur are also included in panel “A”.
Name of former Bamsun legislator Kuldeep Pathania and former Congress Minister Anita Verma features in second panel ‘B’. Both Verma and Pathania have lost two consecutive Assembly elections. The committee also highlighted the strengths and weakness of each ticket aspirants comprising the two panels.
Committee in its remarks for Panel ‘A’ said that Anita Rana does not come from Congress back ground since her husband Rajender Rana was earlier with BJP before contesting for Sujanpur Assembly elections as an independent candidate.
The committee had consultation with Health Minister Kaul Singh Thakur and the report was submitted the report to party chief after which a meeting of Chief Minister and Sukhu is likely to be held on Saturday and the names will be sent to Central leadership.