MCD polls: Cong to announce first list of candidates by Mar 27

The Congress is likely to come out with its first list of 100 candidates for the MCD elections by March 27, a senior party leader said today.

A panel of party observers, in consultation with Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken, are scrutinising around 3,000 applicants who have been shortlisted and interviewed for tickets to contest April 23 polls to 272 wards of the three municipal corporations.

Over 10,000 candidates had applied to the Congress for a ticket to contest MCD elections, and around 3000 aspirants were shortlisted through feedbacks received from booth level workers.

These applicants were interviewed district-wise by a panel of AICC and DPCC observers and presidents of the party's district units.

"The party had also conducted two surveys to determine the winnability factor. Now, the final scrutiny of applicants is underway and the first list of around 100 candidates is likely be to announced by March 27," senior party leader Chatar Singh said.

Maken is holding daily meetings with the observers to finalise the list with the help of polling booth workers feedback and the surveys, he said.

The crucial MCD elections will decide the standing of the Congress, the BJP and the AAP in Delhi.

AAP has taken a lead in the battle by announcing almost all but a few of its candidates in the elections, while both the Congress and the BJP are yet to do so.

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)