Cong may go with PDF for U'khand Assembly polls, hints Soni

On allotment of election tickets, Soni said a state-level committee has been constituted under CM Rawat and Congress state chief Kishor Upadhyay to prepare the final list of candidates

Dehradun, Dec 19: Congress' Uttarakhand unit in charge Ambika Soni today indicated that the party can go for a tie-up with Progressive Democratic Front (PDF) for contesting the Legislative Assembly elections to be held in February 2017.

"We cannot leave PDF as it has been a long time supporter of Congress," she told a press conference while avoiding clear response on queries about Congress going solo on all 70 Assembly seats. Soni's statement resonates Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat's remarks in which he favoured continuing alliance with PDF, which is part of the ruling government in the State.

On allotment of election tickets, Soni said a state-level committee has been constituted under CM Rawat and Congress state chief Kishor Upadhyay to prepare the final list of candidates after going through the details of all applicants.

However, Upadhyay, who was present in the conference, said Congress would contest all assembly seats on its own. He informed reporters that the state unit of Congress has passed a resolution authorising party President Sonia Gandhi and Vice President Rahul Gandhi of finalising the list of candidates.

Soni underlined that the party is united to fight the assembly election and would allot ticket to those with clean image.

PTI