Kumari Selja, Rajya Sabha MP and former union minister, has been appointed head of the screening committee to deliberate and recommend candidates for the state assembly election slated in the year end. Lalitesh Tripathi and Shakir Sanadi, who have been appointed as members of the committee, will assist Selja in the task of screening.
AICC general secretary Ashok Gehlot on Friday releasing a party circular said that party president Rahul Gandhi constituted screening committees for Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Mizoram and Orissa which will go to polls in next one year.
With the declaration of the committee in Rajasthan the process of electioneering in the Congress has officially begun. The committee is tasked to deliberate candidatures, scan their merits for ticket and recommend names to the party president with remarks. In the previous assembly election held in 2013, it was Ajay Maken who was the chief of screening committee in the state.
“This is the first step the party high command has taken with respect to election in Rajasthan. The process of scanning potential candidates will be begin with the committee formation. Selja will steer selection process and judge candidature on various grounds and later send recommendations to the high command,” said a senior party leader, adding that soon pending committees for coordination, manifesto and publicity are expected to be formed.
Being a dalit and woman leader herself, there exists a fair chance that she might give priority to scheduled castes and female candidates. A two-time Union minister in UPA rule, Selja is considered close to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and also to Gehlot. In 2014, she was appointed state in charge for Lok Sabha general election in which party lost all 25 seats. She has had frequently visited Rajasthan, particularly Bikaner division and keeps deep understating of party affairs here. The party leaders believe that the formation of committee will give them an edge over BJP which is yet to decide on the name of state president, let alone a screening committee.
Others roped in
Lalitesh Tripathi and Shakir Sanadi, who have been appointed as members of the committee, will assist Selja in the task.
Gehlot said that the party president constituted screening committees for Rajasthan, MP, Chattisgarh, Mizoram and Orissa.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Kumari Selja")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}