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Congress speeds up process to select candidates for Delhi

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Press Trust of India New Delhi

Amid continuing suspense over it's alliance with the AAP, Congress's Delhi unit has advanced the process of candidate selection for the Lok Sabha polls.

The process has been speeded up with chances of alliance with AAP fading. The screening committee of Delhi Congress met at president Sheila Dikshit's residence to shortlist names of party probables on Saturday night.

Dikshit told PTI, decision of the party high-command on alliance was yet to come.

"The decision is not delayed, it will come in a few days," she said.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi has to take a final decision on alliance with the AAP, as the leaders in Delhi unit of the party are divided over the issue with Dikshit and her three working presidents opposing it.

 

A top source in the party said chances of alliance are "slim" considering its long term repercussions in Delhi.

"The biggest question is how will Congress face the AAP in Assembly elections due in 2020 after the tie up. Also, the party does not gain much politically as it is being offered only 2-3 seats by Kejriwal," the source said.

Delhi Congress sources said the screening committee will meet again on Monday to fine-tune list of party probables for the seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi.

The party had received around 80 applications from Delhi unit leaders, seeking Lok Sabha tickets.

The screening committee has brought down the number to an average of 2-3 names on each constituency, said a senior Delhi Congress leader.

"The list will be further fine-tuned by adding and deleting some names in the Monday meeting," he claimed.

Congress had drawn a blank in 2014 parliamentary elections in Delhi.

The talk of alliance is fuelled by the fact that the Congress and AAP had jointly polled more votes than the BJP that had walked away with all the seven seats in the national capital.

Delhi will vote on May 12.

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First Published: Mar 31 2019 | 9:50 PM IST

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