Delay over announcing a candidate for Varanasi Parliamentary constituency against Bharatiya Janta Party’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi, hampers the Party’s prospect further feels some of senior Congress leaders.
``The Party should field a candidate which could give a good fight to BJP’s prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi but delay in chosing a right persons is hampering the Party’s prospect with every passing day", claimed a senior Congress leader and a former MlA from Eastern UP, who is holding a powerful post in the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee.
``Even when the minority vote went with Bahujan Samaj Party’s candidate Mokhtar Ansari during last Parliamentary elections in Varanasi but everyone knew that Congress candidate still scored over 1.5 lakh vote in the temple town and remained at third place so if any bigwig is not ready for the Contest than the Party should immediately go once again with Ajay Rai or with former MP of Congress from Varanasi, Rajesh Mishra’’, added Congress leader.
Sources said that the Congress which had not announced any candidate from Varanasi and were earlier waiting for announcement of Narendra Modi’s name, is now giving a serious thought that who will the fittest person to take on BJP’s prime ministerial candidate in the temple town. The names which are presently going round the corner are of veteran leader Karn Singh, who one time given a unforgettable fight to than BJP’s prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, from lucknow Parliamentary constituency. Majority of Congress leaders feel that only Karn Singh had the `potential’ not to just give a good fight to Narendra Modi but he could also defeat the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate this time.
Besides Karn Singh, the name of former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, Digvijay Singh, who also remained as incharge of Party affairs here in UP before Madhusudan Mistri took charge from him, is also going in the air. Interestingly, Digvijay Singh, who took on Modi as well as other Saffron brigade leaders several times during war of words, had once again not denied and claimed that he was ready to take on the challenge if the Party is ready to field him from Varanasi.
Sources also said that mafia don turned politician, Mokhtar Ansari, who can turn the table in anyone’s favour if he will just give his outside support, had also reportedly given his consent that if Digvijay would be in the field than he would think on withdrawing his candidature. Sources said that sensing this equation, BJP went for a seat adjustment with Apna Dal, as they had an eye on it’s vote bank particularly in Varanasi. Another name in the Congress which is reportedly under discussion is of a kin of Kashi Naresh. Interestingly, some of Congress leaders even advocating to field cricket star and Bharat Ratna winner, Sachin Tendulkar, who was already sent to Rajya Sabha on a Congress ticket.