Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee plans to declare first list of its candidates during Navratri, the nine-day long festival considered auspicious for beginning any work. The party plans to declare names for about 40 to 80 assembly constituencies. “Work for preparing the list of candidates is in final stage and it would be released during Navratri. We cannot say about exact date but it will be released as early as possible,” Congress party’s state media cell incharge Shobha Oza said. She said releasing the list early will give more time to candidates to contact people effectively. “Selection of candidates would be done on basis of party’s internal survey,” Oza remarked.
Meanwhile, party sources said that the first list would have names of non-controversial candidates. “The major criteria for ticket distribution will be chances of winning the seat and also mass support for candidate which was measured through survey,” sources said. As the election commission has announced to lock the fate of political parties in EVMs on November 28, the party in opposition for last 15 years in the state, doesn’t want to leave any stone unturned to regain power. Releasing the list of candidates early will give Congress an initial lead over opposition parties.