Congress CEC meets for 2nd time in day to finalise candidates for MP

New Delhi, Oct 18 (IANS) Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, along with several senior leaders, on Wednesday evening held the Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting to finalise the rest of the candidates for the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections.

Kharge, Gandhi, General Secretary, Organisation K.C. Venugopal, state in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala, state unit chief Kamal Nath, Screening Committee chairperson for Madhya Pradesh Jitendra Singh, P.L. Punia, Ambika Sonia and many others arrived at the party headquarters for the second time in the day to finalise the candidates for Madhya Pradesh, where polls are due on November 17.

Earlier in the day, the CEC had met to discuss the candidates for Madhya Pradesh.

After the meeting, Kharge wrote on X: “This time Madhya Pradesh will not fall under the influence of BJP. Public anger will teach a lesson to this useless, tyrannical and corrupt government. Justice and commitment will rise in the lives of every section of Madhya Pradesh, because the public will take an unprecedented decision in favor of Congress. Today an important meeting of the Central Election Committee was held regarding Madhya Pradesh".

A party source said that the CEC will be finalising the candidates for the rest of the seats in the state while emphasising on the winability of the candidates.

The Congress had released its first list of candidates for the 230-member Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections on Sunday, which included the names of Kamal Nath from Chhindwara assembly seat, and senior party leader Digvijaya Singh’s son Jaivardhan Singh from Raghogarh assembly seat.

The Congress has fielded actor Vikram Mastal, who played Lord Hanuman'a role in Anand Sagar's 2008 TV show Ramayana, against CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan from Budhni seat. while Sanjay Shukla will be contesting the election against BJP’s national General Secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya from Indore 1.

Leader of Opposition Govind Singh has been fielded from Lahar Assembly seat and former LoP Ajay Singh (Rahul) from Churhat in Sidhi district.

The Congress has fielded Avdhes Nayak against the state Home Minister Narottam Mishra from Datia seat, and senior party leader Ramkishor Dange against state Agriculture Minister Kamal Patel from Dhar.

Former minister Jitu Patwari has been given ticket from Rau seat of Indore district, while the party has fielded former Union minister Kantilal Bhuria’s son Vikrant Bhuria from Jhabua seat.

Out of 144 candidates in the first list, the Congress has fielded 47 general candidates and 39 OBC candidates.