Rajasthan: Congress set to weed out under-performers

Distancing itself from traditional method of ticket distribution which majorly revolves around recommendations made by the senior party leaders, the Congress has this time created room for an internal survey to scan the candidates and select the most promising ones. Teams of senior leaders who hail from other states have been engaged in the scanning process to ensure transparency by the party high command.

In past years, the party gave importance to mandates of seniors and experienced leaders before finalising tickets. This often led the party to face embarrassment as many candidates because of their good personal equation with the veteran leaders found ways to earn tickets and the ones who actually worked on the ground were left staring blank-eyed.

This trend had a great role to play in severely dented party’s poll prospects. In last assembly election in 2013 when Congress faced one of its biggest defeat ever and was reduced to 21 seats, it was at that time itself that the idea of scanning of candidates was first considered as one of the many ways to increase party’s chances to register victory and form the government.

The idea has taken shape now and it will be first implemented in Rajasthan. According to the sources, the assembly-wise survey is underway to judge candidates on winnablity, popularity and image factors. Young candidates are particularly being scanned on the set parameters.

Notably, a three-member screening committee constituted under the chairmanship of Rajya Sabha MP Kumari Selja has been tasked to scan the candidates. However, final call will be taken by the central election committee which is yet to be formed by the AICC.

Process Changed

Recently, former Alwar MP and AICC incharge (Orissa) said that the screening process of candidates has been changed and party is conducting a survey in each area and only a strong candidate will be fielded in the upcoming polls. Surveys are conducted by teams who hail from other states.