The Congress party unveiled its first list of 39 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections on Friday, with Rahul Gandhi set to contest from Kerala's Wayanad constituency once more. Alongside Gandhi, Congress general secretary K C Venugopal will contest from Alappuzha (Kerala), while former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel will vie for the Rajnandgaon seat. Other notable candidates include Jyotsna Mahant from Korba, Tamradhwaj Sahu from Mahasamund, and Shashi Tharoor from Thiruvananthapuram.
Representation across communities
The list features 15 general category candidates and 24 candidates from the SC, ST, OBC, and minority communities, according to Congress treasurer Ajay Maken, who emphasized the blend of youth and experience within the candidates.
CEC meeting highlights
The candidate selection was finalised during a meeting of the Congress' Central Election Committee (CEC), chaired by party president Mallikarjun Kharge. Discussions centered around Lok Sabha seats across 11 states and union territories.
Upcoming campaigns
Congress general secretary Venugopal noted the party's aggressive campaigning mode, particularly highlighting Rahul Gandhi's ongoing Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Gujarat. The yatra is slated to culminate on March 17 in Mumbai, with Kharge inviting all INDIA bloc partners to attend a massive rally.
CEC members and future plans
Other members of the CEC present at the meeting included Ambika Soni, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, T S Singhdeo, and Mohammad Jawaid, indicating the party's strategic planning ahead of the elections.
Also read | Congress releases first list of 39 candidates for Lok Sabha elections, Rahul Gandhi to contest from Wayanad
