Early Times Report
Jammu, Aug 10: As the countdown for the maiden Assembly elections in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has started with the visit of the high-level team of the Election Commission of India, Congress leadership is seriously thinking about fielding young candidates on the majority of the constituencies to counter BJP.
Highly placed sources said that during the meeting in Delhi on Thursday, AICC general secretary (organization) K C Venugopal discussed the issue with some senior leaders and it was suggested that young candidates should be fielded as many as possible seats.
“Youth leaders who served in important positions will be given the opportunity to contest the elections in place of “old guards” as there is feeling among high command that new faces must be tried in the Assembly elections”, sources said.
“Shahnawaz Choudhary, Udhay Bhanu Chib, Neeraj Kundan, Pranav Shagotra, Satish Sharma are some of the prominent youth faces on which Congress leadership is seriously thinking of playing gamble”, sources said and adde Congress leadership is seriously thinking about fielding young candidates in the majority of the constituencies to counter BJP.
Youth leaders who served in important positions are likely to replace old guards.
Names of Shahnawaz Choudhary, Udhay Bhanu Chib, Neeraj Kundan, Pranav Shagotra, Satish Sharma are being discussed.
J&K Congress leaders have been directed to prepare panels of potential candidates for all 90 assembly segments.
“Udhay Bhanu Chib is in the fray for the Jammu North seat, Neeraj Kundan for Bishnah assembly segment, Pranav Shagotra for the newly created Bahu seat, and Satish Sharma for Chamb segment”, sources said.
The incumbent AICC secretary Shahnawaz Choudhary had earlier worked as Pradesh Youth Congress president. Udhay Bhanu Chib also remained as PYC president and presently he is on the national team of the IYC.
Pranav Shagotra also remained as president of the Pradesh Youth Congress and presently vice-president of the JKPCC. Neeraj Kundan was the national president of the National Student Union of India (NSUI).
Satish Sharma is the son of the Congress stalwart and two-time Lok Sabha member late Madan Lal Sharma.
Sources said that during Thursday’s meeting, J&K Congress leaders have been directed to prepare panels of potential candidates for all 90 assembly segments despite party is exploring the possibility of entering into all an alliance with PDP. | 