AICC general-secretary and in-charge of party coordination wing Rahul Gandhi has entrusted various agencies in getting inputs on the selection of Congress candidates for the coming Lok Sabha polls.
It is amply clear that there will be no automatic re-nomination of sitting MPs. In fact, it is most likely that fresh faces would be selected this time.
This was disclosed by Mr Rahul Gandhi’s emissary Jatinder Deshprabhu during his interactions with party leaders for the second day in the Congress Legislature Party office on Sunday.
Congress leaders who met Mr Deshprabhu discussed the issue of re-nomination of sitting party MPs.
When a minister from East Godavari district sought to know about his re-nomination for the Lok Sabha seat, Mr Deshpr-abhu reportedly told him that re-nomination of sitting MPs was not guaranteed or else, there would be no need to carry out such an extensive exercise throughout the country by the emissaries.
He reportedly also informed all that Mr Gandhi has entrusted several agencies for feedback on all the Lok Sabha constituencies, including conducting surveys to know the pulse of people, their views on the sitting MPs and if they preferred to have a new candidate represent them.
Mr Deshprabhu reportedly cited an example of denying a party ticket to a former Deputy Chief Minister from Gujarat to contest the Assembly elections in that state.
Mr Gandhi will take the final call on the candidates based on the inputs he receives from various quarters including the special emissaries.
Talking to newsmen on Sunday, Mr Deshprabhu denied reports in the media that the Congress general-secretary’s emissaries were exploring the possibilities of a tie-up with the YSR Congress led by Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy in the coming elections.
“It is not our job to explore such possibilities, we have not discussed anything of that sort, I am surprised to see such reports in almost all the newspapers today,” he said.
To queries about his colleague Viswajit Rane having held discussions with several party leaders yesterday, including the issue of a possible tie-up with the YSRC, Mr Deshprabhu said, “I am not aware of what he talked to them, as he left for Tirupati today. Anyway, I am too small a leader to comment on this. I request you to cooperate.”
Media circles were abuzz on Saturday with reports of the party leaders being questioned on the possibilities of having a tie-up with the YSRC.