Nobody to be projected as CM in Uttaranchal polls: Congress

New Delhi, Jan 2 (UNI) The Congress today said it will contest the Assembly elections in Uttaranchal under the leadership of Chief Minister N D Tiwari, though nobody will be projected as the future Chief Minister.

Both Mr Tiwari and PCC Chief Harish Rawat will be addressing election meetings together and separately, AICC Treasurer and Uttaranchal in-charge Moti Lal Vora told mediapersons in an informal chat here.

''It has never been the tradition with the Congress to ''thrust'' a Chief Ministerial candidate on a state. Usually we send an Observer, who ascertains the majority support enjoyed by any candidate. Such a person is appointed the Chief Minister, on the basis of the observer's recommendations,'' he noted.

Mr Rawat, believed to be a strong claimant for the Chief Minister's post, would seek votes on the basis of the good performance of the N D Tiwari Government during the last five years, he said.

Mr Vora said the process of selection of candidates for the Assembly elections would begin shortly and was likely to be completed before the nominations open on January 25.

The State Election Committee would recommend the names of candidates to be shortlisted by the Screening Committee for the State, which would in turn, recommend a panel of three names to the Central Election Committee, headed by Congress President Sonia Gandhi, for the final selection.

Mr Vora said the party had not entered into poll alliance with any party so far and ''as things stand today, it is likely to go it alone in the elections.'' Refuting the claims of the BJP that it was poised to win the Assembly elections in Uttaranchal and form a Government, the senior Congress leader expressed the confidence that his party was all set to regain power in the state.

UNI