Rajendra Awana named Congress's Noida candidate

NOIDA: A day after Smajwadi Party announced their candidate for the assembly bypoll to be held for the Noida seat, Congress party announced Rajendra Awana, 46, as their hopeful late on Monday evening. The announcement was made after much deliberation, keeping class and caste equations in mind, say insiders.
After Congress' Noida Lok Sabha candidate, Ramesh Chand Tomar, deserted it to join BJP, leaving the state unit red in the face, party insiders say Congress high command had been wary about choosing the ?right' candidate for the legislator's post.Defending its choice for the urban seat, Congress party members publicly said Awana is a grassroots worker with proven ability. Insiders though agreed that as a Gujjar, Awana enjoys the support of not just his community but also of Dalits, which can pull BSP votes, tipping the scales in his favour.
Although veteran Congressmen such as Raghuraj Singh and Noida party chief Kripa Ram Sharma were initially reported to be in the fray, caste equations eventually prevailed. Sharma told TOI he had full faith in the party high command's decision. "We will work faithfully for the party's victory and provide our full support to Awana," said Sharma.
Twice Uttar Pradesh Congress committee secretary in the past, Awana is a Congress worker since his college days. He said issues of development, law and order and good governance will be part of his poll manifesto, as these have assumed great significance of late. "As someone born and brought up in Noida, I have a better understanding of local problems, which I promise to resolve," said Awana, who lives with his wife and two sons in Sector 21.