In a significant development ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the Congress party convened its third Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting to deliberate on the selection of candidates for 180 parliamentary seats distributed across 11 states. The meeting, held three days after the Election Commission of India announced the poll schedule, marked a pivotal moment in the party's election strategy.
Notably, the absence of Rahul Gandhi, a prominent leader within the Congress ranks, from the meeting drew attention. This continued a trend of his non-participation in such crucial gatherings, raising questions about his role in the candidate selection process.
During the meeting, discussions primarily revolved around allocating seats in key battleground states such as West Bengal, Karnataka, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Rajasthan. Additionally, deliberations were held regarding seats in Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
While the Congress finalized candidates for 14-15 seats in West Bengal, 18 seats in Karnataka, and several seats in Telangana and Sikkim, decisions regarding certain constituencies, including Chandigarh and Puducherry, remained pending.
The party's General Secretary, in a statement following the meeting, emphasized that decisions had been made solely regarding announcements, leaving the final candidate selection for subsequent discussions.
The next CEC meeting is scheduled for the 21st of this month, where further deliberations are expected to occur. The Congress party aims to solidify consensus candidates and make formal announcements in preparation for the upcoming electoral battle.
