Cong begins candidate selection exercise for Gujarat polls

New Delhi, Nov 5 (UNI) The process of selection of Congress candidates for next month's Gujarat Assembly polls began today with the Screening Committee of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) meeting here.

The meeting, chaired by Committee Chairman and Defence Minister A K Antony, was attended by AICC General Secretary in charge of Gujarat B K Hariprasad, Union Minister Prithviraj Chavan, the Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee chief and the Leader of the Congress Legislature Party in the state.

AICC sources said here today that the list screened by the committee would be submitted to the Central Election Committee of the Congress, which would meet here on November eight.

Before the meeting of the CEC, the Party would have discussions with its allies on seat-sharing.

This process was also set in motion today. Congress leaders discussed the seat-sharing with its ally, Nationalist Congress Party, after the screening committee meeting.

The final list of candidates for the two-phase elections to 181 seats on December 11 and 16 was expected early next week after clearance from Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

UNI