Rahul summons Mahant to talk for LS prep

Raipur, December 16

While its think tank is busy in introspecting its “awful debacle” in four out of five states in recently concluded assembly polls which was touted as semi-finals ahead of general elections, the Congress leadership has turned its focus towards final battle for central power and in the process, party vice president Rahul Gandhi has reportedly summoned all the PCC heads including Chhattisgarh unit chief Charandas Mahant to take stock of preparations and discuss over candidate-selection method onDecember 19.

The meeting will also be attended by party’s Chhattisgarh incharge BK Hariprasada. Meanwhile, if the party elects leader of the opposition, he/she too will attend the meeting.

Both Mahant and Hariprasada have been asked to come up with their individual reports on party’s poll performance. According to information, the PCC presidents of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi too have been issued similar instructions.

Sources say critical analysis of the reports of four states would help Gandhi in making amendments in poll preparation, strategy to deal opposition parties and candidate-selection process for Lok Sabha elections.

In Chhattisgarh, Gandhi had sent observers in two rounds to find out appropriate candidates for LS polls. The observers toured all 27 districts and took inputs from block and district officer-bearers pertaining to probable LS candidate from their respective areas.

Later, the observers talked to PCC office-bearers in this regard. After receiving reports from observers, the party high command had conducted a couple of surveys in the State.

Among 11 LS seats in State, Congress has one in its account, i.e. Korba while the remaining belong to BJP. Aiming to make a hat trick at Centre, the Congress wants to win maximum number of seats in Chhattisgarh.

In recent assembly polls, neither Rahul Gandhi formula clicked nor experience of state leaders helped the party in improving its performance. Still Gandhi has reasons to smile as 12 out of 18 candidates finalised by him for first phase of polls won and the party succeeded in breaking 10-year jinx in tribal Bastar. For remaining 72 seats in second phase, Gandhi had approved names recommended by the state leaders and the party could win in only 27 constituencies.

The party had fielded 35 out of its 38 MLAs but 27 lost. The party thinks since people have opted for new faces in the assembly polls, it should not take risk in pitting old horses in the LS battle. Gandhi too has hinted of giving fair number of tickets to youth, though he might also consider some of the top performers in recent polls.