With multiple claimants, Congress faces a tough challenge in candidate selection

The party is likely to delay announcing names for constituencies where it is expecting rebellion

As the Congress kick starts the second phase of candidate selection, with the arrival of screening committee chairman Mohan Prakash on Sunday, the party is facing multiple challenges in the selection process. With intense competition for the ticket in a large number of constituencies, the party is likely to delay announcing names where it is expecting rebellion from the party rank and file.

While winnability is being seen as the most important factor in candidate selection, the party is also facing the challenge of balancing social justice in ticket distribution. Mr. Prakash, whose appointment as the chairman was cleared by AICC president M. Mallikarjun Kharge last week, is expected to meet the local leadership for feedback on Sunday and Monday.

“The committee will take three or four names per constituency to the AICC for final selection. Results of the third-party survey, party and local leadership feedback will also be considered,” a senior Congress leader told The Hindu.

In November, the Congress received about 1,400 applications for 224 Assembly constituencies with some constituencies receiving over a dozen applications. These include many new aspirants for the ticket where the party has an incumbent legislator. Some senior leaders have also been accused of propping up new candidates against established local leadership.

A source said that in about 40 constituencies, senior leaders, including Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah, Mr. Kharge, and KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar, are pushing their candidatures, intensifying competition. While there is also talk of some senior leaders, including K.H. Muniyappa, M.B. Patil, and G. Parameshwara, being unhappy, a senior leader described it as a “bargaining effort” on their part.

Acknowledging that there is intense competition, Mr. Shivakumar said efforts were being made in several constituencies to bring an amicable solution among rival candidates to ensure win for the party.

In more than a dozen constituencies where Congress legislators deserted the party to join the BJP in ‘Operation Lotus’, the party structure has been dismantled, and the party is struggling to fix it. Efforts to get some of them back to the party have been thwarted by the BJP, party sources said. “In many constituencies, the Congress has a good base but may find it hard to convert it to victory as there has been no continuity of candidates. This time around, many such candidates who did fairly well are reluctant to contest,” another senior leader pointed out.