Rahul Gandhi’s ticket formula gives anxious moments to MLAs, Rahul Gandhi , Congress ticket formula, Chhattisgarh MLA, Chhattisgarh assembly election 2013, latest news.

Rahul Gandhi’s ticket formula gives anxious moments to MLAs.

RAIPUR: Sitting Congress legislators in Chhattisgarh are feeling uneasy over party vice-president Rahul Gandhi's ticket distribution formula as the threat of denial to re-nomination looms large over a number of MLAs, belonging to all factions of state's main opposition party.

Initially, all the ginger groups in the faction ridden Congress had worked over-time to put the names of their close supporters in the list to be submitted to the party high command. But, Rahul Gandhi came up with his own formula, reportedly based on three separate independent surveys carried out to make an assessment at the ground level.

The new formula revolves around denying tickets to sitting legislators whose victory margin was very thin and from those constituencies from where the Congress had lost the last Lok Sabha polls by a margin of more than 10,000 votes. Besides, the Gandhi scion is not in favour of fielding "very old" leaders, even if they were continuously winning all the previous polls.

On the basis of independent surveys, Gandhi had also got feedback about MLAs who remained inactive and also about those candidates who had lost the 2008 assembly polls.

"Some of the MLAs are in danger zone. Rahul's formula is meant to ensure victory of Congress in the elections. In other words, all efforts are being made to ensure fielding of candidates with winning prospects," state Congress chief Charandas Mahant said.

As the formula is all set to affect MLAs and other ticket aspirants belonging to all factions of the state Congress, all faction leaders sunk their differences and came together to impress upon Congress vice-president to re-consider his formula, assuring him that they would work hard to ensure victory of candidates. However, Gandhi left the decision to party president Sonia Gandhi.

While announcing its first list, Congress has nominated new faces in 16 out of the 18 constituencies going to polls in the first phase on November 11. Among them, the party denied ticket to a sitting legislator Shivraj Usare, who is representing Manpur-Mohala constituency in Rajnandgaon district while it kept pending its decision on candidate from Khujji, which is being represented by the outgoing assembly. Congress is yet to name its candidate for the Dongergarh seat.

If the party goes by the Rahul formula, a dozen sitting MLAs might not get a re-nomination to contest the November polls. Besides, the party is understood to have already hinted Bodhram Kanwar, a septuagenarian Congress veteran that he would have to bow out due to age factor and his son could be fielded from Katghora constituency. Another tribal veteran Rampukar Singh, a seven time winner, could also fall in the danger zone.

While the Congress has only one MLA from tribal Bastar region, it has denied ticket to an MLA from Rajnandgaon region and kept one decision in abeyance. All its remaining 36 legislators hail from the other region, which goes to polls in the second phase on November 19.

With its stakes very high in the state's plains and northern region, Congress has already nominated Umesh Patel, son of slain Congress leader Nanadkumar Patel, to contest from Kharasia, his father's traditional seat in Raigarh district.

Being a decisive fight against the BJP—which is hoping for a third consecutive term, Congress is not ready to leave anything to chance even if it means sacrificing old horses and betting on new ones.

source:TimeOfIndia

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