Jaipur, Aug 31 (IANS) The Congress party has altered its strategy for candidate selection for the upcoming Rajasthan local body elections, opting to hand the official party symbol directly to selected candidates to curtail internal friction.
The move comes as Congress leaders, workers, and ticket aspirants await the party’s final decision on candidate selection. Deliberations over ticket distribution are underway at multiple levels within the Congress.
Local leaders, party workers, and prospective candidates have been putting forward their preferred names, making the process of finalising candidates increasingly challenging. Amid the internal competition, the Congress has decided to issue the party symbol directly to its chosen candidates.
The strategy is aimed at establishing clarity over the party’s authorised candidates and reducing confusion within the organisation. Under the revised strategy, candidates selected by the Congress will be given the party’s official symbol to contest the elections.
The move is expected to make it clear who has received the party’s official backing and help prevent confusion over competing claims to the Congress ticket.
However, the process may not be completely settled even after the initial selection of candidates. There is speculation that some names could be changed at the last minute, leaving ticket aspirants waiting for the party’s final list and official confirmation.
The new strategy is likely to intensify activity among prospective candidates as the party weighs several factors, including local political equations, the claims of veteran party workers, and the winnability of individual candidates.
The Congress faces a dual challenge in the civic body elections: selecting candidates capable of winning their respective wards while keeping leaders and workers who are denied tickets from turning against the party.
It remains to be seen which names the Congress ultimately finalises and whether any last-minute changes are made during the final stages of the electoral process. For now, the party’s revised approach to issuing symbols has added another layer of uncertainty to the preparations for Rajasthan’s local body elections.
Meanwhile, on Sunday, former CM Ashok Gehlot said, “The upcoming local body elections are crucial for protecting democracy and safeguarding people’s rights. Therefore, party workers must enter the electoral battle united and teach the BJP a lesson.”
He warned that any infighting after ticket distribution could jeopardise the formation of Congress boards, saying the BJP would be waiting to exploit such situations.
Discussing candidate selection for the local body elections, the former Chief Minister said tickets should be given only to workers who have a strong grassroots presence and the highest chances of winning.
“I told them that even if I recommend someone, do not give that person a ticket. You know better who has the best chances of winning in a particular ward. Sitting here in Jaipur, how would I know who is seeking a ticket in a ward in Bharatpur, Bikaner, Chittorgarh, or Udaipur?” he said.
He added, “If infighting begins immediately after tickets are distributed, just imagine, how will the board be formed? The BJP is waiting to provoke such conflicts. The BJP has rigged the delimitation process, but with the support of the people, a Congress board will be formed.”
Gehlot further said, “Now is the time to teach them a lesson. That lesson can be delivered by ensuring that Congress boards are formed and that our candidates win in a majority of municipalities, municipal councils, and municipal corporations.”
“Only then will the BJP be brought to its senses. It is necessary to bring them to their senses in a democracy. Only then will their high command and the leadership at the grassroots level realize what has actually happened,” he said.
–IANS
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