No wait for poll date, Congress 1st list for Chhattisgarh by September 6

The Congress central leadership will announce the first list of party candidates for the Chhattisgarh assembly elections in the first week of September. There are indications that some of the current MLAs may be benched in favour of fresh and younger candidates as a tactic to limit the incumbency burden of the sitting legislators in the Congress-ruled state.

As the BJP has already released its first list of candidates in Chhattisgarh, mostly in the seats held by the Congress, the latter too has decided not to wait for Election Commission's announcement of election dates. According to AICC general secretary in-charge of Chhattisgarh Kumari Selja, the first list of the Congress candidates will be announced on September 6.

It is learnt that the AICC has lined up meetings of Chhattisgarh Congress' political affairs committee, as well as the AICC screening committee for the state and the central election committee in the beginning of September with a plan to announce the first batch of candidates around September 6.


Since the BJP's early announcement of its first list of candidates for Chhattisgarh has given an impression that the party may do the same in other poll-bound States, especially in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, the Congress may also go in for early preparation of its candidates in these states. Assembly elections are due in these states in November.

The AICC is also planning a series of poll-related meetings in Chhattisgarh from early September which will be attended by senior central leaders including Mallikarjun Kharge and the Gandhis.