Municipal polls: Azad, Babbar to add sparkle to Congress campaign

ALLAHABAD: As the municipal elections draw closer, there is a mad scramble for political parties to declare candidates for the posts of mayor and corporators. However, Congress leaders are still embroiled in discussions to pick candidates for the upcoming civic elections.

Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) vice president and in charge of Allahabad division Abdul Mannan arrived in Allahabad on Wednesday to interact with local party leaders and review preparations for the elections.

Sources said Mannan discussed the strategy for the polls with the leaders of the district and city congress committees at length. Talking to TOI, Mannan said "Congress would contest municipal poll independently. Senior party leaders, including UPCC chief Raj Babbar, Rajya Sabha MPs Pramod Tiwari and Gulam Nabi Azad, would campaign in the state along with party candidates."

The Allahabad chief of Congress also said the party leaders were busy drawing up a list of prospective candidates for the local bodies elections and the final list of nominees would be released within a few days.

Congress spokesperson Kishore Varshney said, "More than 20 aspirants have submitted their applications before the senior leaders. These names would be sent to UPCC leaders for consideration."

Meanwhile, sources told TOI that UPCC leaders were in city to access the mood of local leaders and city and district leaders shared suggestions for nominees with the senior leaders.