Ahead of Sonia Gandhi-Sharad Pawar meeting, Congress readies list with 288 candidates for Maharashtra polls

NEW DELHI: Though Sonia Gandhi and Sharad Pawar are expected to meet in Delhi soon to clinch a Congress-NCP alliance in Maharshtra polls, the Congress leadership has prepared a second list of candidates for all assembly seats in case the alliance does not work out. The Congress central election committee is expected to meet over the week-end to announce the candidates.

The first list prepared by the AICC panel has shortlisted Congress candidates for 174 seats, the number of constituencies the party contested in the 2009 polls in alliance with NCP. This list has kept off 114 constituencies from where NCP had fought.

The second contingency AICC list has shortlisted probable Congress candidates for the remaining 114 seats meant for alliance partner NCP. A party source said, “this is being done as a back-up strategy in the event of Congress and NCP failing to extend their 15-year-old alliance to yet another electoral battle”.

CM Prithviraj Chavan and PCC chief Manikrao Thackre are expected in Delhi on Friday as some key AICC functionaries may talk to Pawar during the next two days, ahead of his meeting with Sonia.

Congress has reasons to be cautious in what is perceived to be a tough election for it. NCP has been maintaining that post-Congress’ poor show in LS polls, the party should agree to have 50:50 seat-sharing with NCP with both contesting 144 seats each. Congress, at best, is ready to offer NCP just 14 extra seats if Pawar agrees to smoke the peace pipe.