Congress discusses bypoll candidates

AICC general secretary and Rajasthan in-charge Avinash Pandey held separate meetings with Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee chief Sachin Pilot and Congress general secretary CP Joshi at the party headquarters in New Delhi to discuss names of candidates for Ajmer parliamentary and Mandalgarh assembly bypoll. Raghu Sharma from Ajmer and Vivek Dhakad from Mandalgarh have been almost finalised, though official declaration is yet to be made. “There was a meeting in New Delhi about the bypoll, however, we have received no information on candidates,” says RPCC vice president Archana Sharma, who happens to be chairperson of media cell also.

After declaring Karan Singh Yadav from Alwar, the Congress seemed to be in a fix over announcing a candidate. Sachin Pilot was the first choice of the party in Ajmer which is his home constituency. He even had wished to contest election provided the high command nods.

The party wants a non- Jat candidate from the seat to consolidate votes of other castes as BJP is likely to name Ram Swaroop Lamba, son of late MP Sanwar Lal Jat. If the name of Raghu is finalised  he will have to contest election against sympathy wave for former MP Jat whose untimely death vacated the seat. Raghu, who is currently holding office of vice-president in the RPCC, was chief whip in Rajasthan assembly representing Kekri assembly constituency during previous Gehlot government. Meanwhile, from Mandalgarh the party has almost approved Vivek Dhakad. CP Joshi has pressed for his name. However, Jahajpur MLA Dheeraj Gurjar who also called on Pandey had pushed Gopal Malviya’s name.