Deliberations about selection of candidates are going on in the State Congress. According to a report, half-a-dozen sitting MlAs wanted to change their constituency, but a decision on it would be taken in the meeting of the election committee.
The party had decided about 71 points for the selection and distribution of ticket, in which, along with the recommendations of the block and district committees, the votes received in the last election would also be taken into consideration, besides taking reports of the two surveys as base for selection. State president of the party Dr Charandas Mahant and leader of the opposition Ravindra Choubey will select 350 names from the total 2,400 applications after discussions with district Congress presidents and these names will be taken into consideration at the election committee meeting.
According to sources, about half-a-dozen MlAs wanted to change their seat, though they had sent applications from their constituency. According to a member of the election committee, if the MlAs change their seat, the new seat would not be better for them and the party also could not perform well in the old seat. It was the perception of the MlAs and many leaders of the party that if Dhamtari MlA Gurumukh Singh fights election from Kurud that seat might be gone into the lap of the Congress and lekhram Sahu could also win the Dhamtari seat for the party.
Similarly, MlA from Padariya Mohammad Akbar wanted to be fielded from Kawardha, as 70 per cent area of his constituency Virendra Nagar comes under Kawardha. Moreover, he was in continuous contact with the voters of his old constituency. The party leaders consider that if ex-MlA Yogiraj Singh or any other candidate contests from Pandariya, instead of Kawardha, both the seats of the home district of chief minister Raman Singh would come into the fold of the Congress. But, at present, it was not clear, whether Yogiraj Singh was ready to fight election from Pandariya, leaving Kawardha, the sources said. At present, the Kawardha seat is with the BJP.
It is being considered that Durg rural seat, which is the work area of Bemathara MlA Tamradwaj Sahu, would be better choice for him and Patan seat would be suitable for Durg MlA Pratima Chandrakar, who had won the Durg seat with lowest margin in the last election. However, Patan is a quiet natural claim of ex-minister Bhupesh Baghel. The name of Arang MlA Rudra Kumar Guru is going round for the Ahiwara seat.
Some of the sitting MlAs, including Dr Haridas Bharadwaj from Saraipali, Paresh Baghbahara from Khallari and Hridayram Rathia from lailunga and others are facing stiff opposition at local level. However, it is considered that the seats of almost all the sitting MlAs have been decided, but discussion on the change of seats would likely be held at the election committee meeting on August 25.