New Delhi: Ahead of the crucial assembly election in Rajasthan later this year, the Congress is planning to drop several of its sitting MLAs, including five to eight ministers, and might field 60 new faces in the polls, sources said on Monday.
According to party sources, the Congress has decided to drop at least 35 MLAs in the elections later this year, with at least five to eight Ministers.
The source said that the party is also mulling the idea to field some celebrities, social workers, social workers, and some prominent award winners in the polls.
The source said that the decision is being taken in view of the survey that the party carried out a month ago.
The source said that the party has decided to field 60 new faces in the polls later this year citing anti-incumbency against the sitting MLAs and ministers.
The source further said that some of the senior ministyers might be fielded in the Lok Sabha elections scheduled next year, as they have got the potential to take on the BJP citing their popularity and works done in their constituencies.
The source, however, also said that some of the MLAs who will be denied tickets to contest in the assembly elections later this year will be placed in boards or local municipal bodies if the government returns to power.
The source, when asked, how many of the party MLAs from the former deputy Chief Minister and former state unit chief Sachin Pilot will be facing the axe of being denied ticket, said that there are at least 18 such leaders.
The crucial assembly elections is scheduled in the month of November later this year. The Ashok Gehlot-led Congress government has been launching several schemes in the state to woo the voters to break the tradition of the alternate government in the desert state.
The Congress had last month during the meeting of the party leaders with party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi had decided to announce the party candidates at least two months ahead of the assembly election in the state. The party has also formed the election committee.
Meanwhile, the BJP is also hoping to return to power in the state. —IANS
