The Congress and the NCP have decided to bring in many fresh faces for the upcoming assembly elections to counter the anti-incumbancy factor. Based on surveys done by both parties, at least a quarter of sitting MLAs are likely to be denied party tickets.
"Pawarsaheb has been calling up sitting NCP MLAs and telling them to take rest in this poll. As per our internal party survey, many sitting MLAs are unlikely to impress the voters so fresh faces will be brought in," a senior NCP leader told dna.
The Congress-NCP alliance has been in power in Maharashtra for the past 15 years and going by the results of the general elections, in which the Congress and NCP got two and four seats in the state, the combine is likely to lose power to the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance. The Congress and the NCP are wrangling over seats at the moment but the NCP is likely to get 130 seats. The Congress contested in 174 seats and won 82 in 2009 and the NCP contested in 114 and won 62.
But the Congress, slightly optimistic and buoyed by the victories in most of the bypolls held after the general elections, has decided to choose candidates in Maharashtra and four other states solely on inputs from ground to overcome the anti-incumbency factor and to try to stymie the rise of the BJP.
In Mumbai, the Congress sitting MLAs from Kalina, Bandra (East), Vile Parle, Chandivli, Sion, Matunga constituencies may not get the ticket. "The screening committee could not arrive at a decision about candidates in these constituencies. So, the final decision will be taken by the party high command in Delhi. There are many more such seats in the state, almost 20% sitting MLAs will not get the ticket," said a senior Congress leader who is part of the screening committee.
The Congress high command has given all powers to chief minister Prithviraj Chavan to finalise the state election strategy. "CM Chavan may not be the mass leader but he is a good manager and strategist. Besides, CM has taken record number of decisions during his three years as CM so he wants to cash in on these factors," said a Congress leader.
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