Despite hectic parleys at the Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting held in New Delhi on Friday night, the Congress could not finalise even its first list of candidates for the assembly elections which are just round the corner.
Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Manikrao Thakare told media persons after the meeting that the CEC discussed election strategy and seat sharing, but the final decision would be taken by the party high command. The party could not announce any names even after a discussion of over two and a half hours.
The CEC discussed names cleared by the state screening committee which had heard out all aspirants before finalising its list. The senior leaders also discussed obstacles the party faced regarding seat-sharing with the NCP. Sources said party leaders had expressed the need for an alliance with the NCP, even spare a few seats for the NCP need be.
A screening committee meeting in Mumbai could not be held because of the ill-health of unit president Janardna Chandurkar. It is likely that a screening committee meeting for Mumbai seats will be held either on Tuesday or Wednesday. Mumbai has 38 assembly seats and the CEC on Friday discussed more than 100 names suggested by the screening committee, which does not include any names from Mumbai.
The 14-member CEC met at Congress president Sonia Gandhi's residence at 10 Janpath. The meeting was attended by vice-president Rahul Gandhi, former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, CEC in-charge Madhusudan Mestri, senior leaders A K Antony, Mallikarjun Kharge, Janardan Dwivedi, Makhanlal Fotedar, Mohsina Kidwai, Ambika Soni, Oscar Fernandes, M Veerappa Moily, Girija Vyas, B K Handique and representatives from Maharashtra. Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan, All India Congress Committee in-charge for Maharashtra Mohan Prakash, state unit president Manikrao Thakare were also present.
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