New Delhi:

Less than every week after the BJP introduced its first listing of 195 candidates, the Congress has provide you with its reply within the type of 39 names, together with these of Rahul Gandhi, Shashi Tharoor and Bhupesh Baghel.

Rahul Gandhi will contest from Wayanad in Kerala however it’s not clear whether or not he will even be fielded from Amethi, like in 2019. Shashi Tharoor will combat from Thiruvananthapuram, a seat he has held for 3 phrases, whereas Mr Baghel will contest from Rajnandgaon in Chhattisgarh.

Some of the opposite huge names on the listing are Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal, who will contest from Alappuzha in Kerala – a seat he had gained in 2014 – and DK Suresh, brother of Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who has been fielded from Bengaluru Rural. 

The names have been introduced primarily for some southern and northeastern states and the one outliers are Chhattisgarh and the Union Territory of Lakshadweep. At 16, the majority of the candidates have been introduced from Kerala, the place the Congress is anticipated to depart the remaining 4 seats for its allies. 

Seven names have been introduced from Karnataka, six from Chhattisgarh and 4 from Telangana. The remaining are from Meghalaya, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura and Lakshadweep.

The concentrate on the south is deliberate as a result of not solely does the Congress have its governments within the states of Karnataka and Telangana, however additionally it is the one area within the nation the place the BJP is comparatively weak. 

Focus On Communities

While saying the names on Friday, Mr Venugopal mentioned the candidates had been picked by the Congress Central Election Committee. He emphasised that 24 of the 39 candidates are from the OBC, SC, ST and minority communities. 

Sources mentioned this listing is a begin and extra names might be anticipated because the INDIA alliance finalises seat-sharing in a number of the remaining states, together with Maharashtra. Deciding on pacts for the state, which sends the second-highest variety of MPs to the Lok Sabha, has proved to be troublesome for each the NDA and the INDIA alliances. 

Another cause behind the delay is also the truth that Rahul Gandhi is busy with the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, which is in Gujarat and can finish in Mumbai on March 17. Mr Venugopal mentioned there can be a large rally within the metropolis on that day and the leaders of all INDIA get together leaders are being invited for it.