Apparently facing a financial crunch, the Madhya Pradesh unit of Congress on Sunday asked those seeking tickets for the coming Assembly elections in the State to furnish a demand draft of Rs 50,000 with the application.
“We will be initiating the process of selecting candidates...(ticket) aspirants can submit their applications between March 5 and 15,” said the Congress general secretary in charge of Madhya Pradesh, Deepak Babaria, after holding meetings with party office-bearers here.
“We decided today that aspirants for the party ticket will submit a demand draft of Rs 50,000 with the applications. The amount will be Rs 25,000 for those in SC/ST and women category. Party needs their help,” Babaria said.
To a question, Babaria said this didn’t mean that poor ticket aspirants won’t be considered at all.
“The AICC (All India Congress Committee) would take the aspirants who are poor but who enjoy a mass support in consideration. (lack of) Money will not be a hindrance for such candidates,” he said.
The ruling BJP has been spending a huge amount of money during elections, the Congress leader alleged.
Aspirants should also desist from putting on a show of strength to get a ticket, he said.