AICC to take final decision on allotment of party tickets

Shimla, Nov, 4 (UNI) In a bid to keep the infighting within the party under carpet, the Congress party today decided to leave the final decision over allotment of party tickets for the second phase of assembly election, slated for December 19 to the All India Congress Committee (AICC).

The members of Himachal Pradesh Election Committee (HPEC) in a meeting held in New Delhi today unanimously passed a resolution authorising the party high command to take final decision on allotment of party tickets.

Sources here said deliberation were held on the contentious issue of giving party tickets to the associate members of the party, the rebels who had win against the official candidates of the Congress in the last assembly elections.

It is learnt that keeping in view the diverse stand on the issue between the chief minister, Virbhadra Singh who is said to be favouring the candidature of associate members and the Himachal Pradesh Congress Chief, Viplove Thakur who is opposing to the move, the members at the HPEC meeting resolved to leave the final decision over ticket allotment to the party high command, said sources.

The meeting of HPEC was convened to decide over parameters for allotment of party tickets and short listing the names of Congress candidates likely to be fielded in the second phase of assembly elections for the 65 constituencies in the state.

The party had received over 400 applications seeking party ticket from the sixty five constituencies.

As per party convention the decision for selection of party candidates has been left to the party national president, Sonia Gandhi and the high command,' said, HPCC General Secretary, Kuldeep Singh Rathore, adding that applications of all aspirants for party tickets from the 65 assembly constituencies will be forwarded to the AICC and its decision would final and binding.

UNI