Chhattisgarh Congress on Saturday announced the Mayoral candidates for nine out of the ten municipal corporations for polls to be held in two phases on Dec 29 and 31. The party candidature for Bilaspur Municipal Corporation was not announced as there were differences between two factions led by Ajit Jogi and Pradesh Congress Committee chief Bhupesh Baghel respectively.
Pramod Dubey bagged party ticket for Mayoral post from Raipur though Raipur city Congress committee president Vikas Upadhyay and party leader Anand Kukreja tried their best to take the ticket.
Congress sources said that Dubey is a seasoned politician and has experience in municipal-related politics. Ajay Tirki and Jethu Ram Manhar got the party tickets from Ambikapur and Raigarh municipal corporations respectively.
Tirki, a medical professional, is considered close to ClP leader TS Singhdeo while Manhar is former Mayor with term between 2004 and 2009, is considered close to both Ajit Jogi and late Nand Kumar Patel.
Renu Agrawal, wife of Korba legislator Jaisingh Agrawal, was allocated party ticket for Korba Mayor while Archana Upadhyay was also in the fray. Both Renu Agrawal and Archana Upadhyay are considered supporters of former Union Minister of State Charan Das Mahant.
Neelu Thakur, former Youth Congress leader and close to AICC Treasurer Motilal Vora, was allocated Durg Mayoral ticket while Vijay Pandey bagged the ticket from Rajnandgaon where Kulbir Chhabra and Naresh Dakalia were also in the fray.
Vijay Pandey was fielded from Rajnandgaon, Congress sources informed, because he is former Mayor but was removed mid-term. Sarita Doshi, daughter-in-law of veteran Congress leader Jayaben, was given party Mayoral ticket from Dhamtari, who is said to enjoy confidence of Vora faction as well as incumbent CPCC President Bhupesh Baghel.
Malkit Singh Gaidu was given party ticket for Jagdalpur Municipal Corporation. Congress fielded Mohammad Imam from Chirmiri because apart from being leader of opposition in municipal corporation, he is also prominent Muslim face of party in the area. Imam is said to be close to Charan Das Mahant.