After Central Election Committee meeting of Congress to finalise candidates for the Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections was held on Saturday, Senior Congress leader Randeep Surjewala stated that conducting the caste-based census in the poll-bound state will be one of the grand old party's main agenda, news agency PTI reported. Speaking with media, Surjewala stated: "We (Central Election Committee) have decided to meet again soon. Once we decide upon the names (of candidates), we will inform you. We also discussed about caste census in Madhya Pradesh."
When questioned about the CM face for the upcoming Madhya Pradesh polls, Surjewala said: "Kamal Nath is president of Madhya Pradesh Congress & whoever is the president of Pradesh Congress that person is naturally the face of Congress..."
Madhya Pradesh will hold assembly elections later this year. The state will elect lawmakers from 230 Assembly seats during the polls.
The meeting was attended by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, as well as Congress MPs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. The meeting was also attended by Congress leaders KC Venugopal and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath.
Addressing the media after the meeting, Former Madhya Pradesh CM and Congress State President Kamal Nath stated: "We have held discussions on several names. At present, no decision has been taken. The decision will be taken in the next 6-7 days. We have held a discussion on 130-140 seats...Another meeting will be called and the decision will be made."
He further stated: "The entire state has understood CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan...He says that his party will form the govt, what else will he say?"
During the meeting, according to the Congress leader Jitendra Singh, the grand old party decided not to give tickets to the candidates who in the previous elections have lost three times in a row. Speaking with reporters, Jitendra stated: "Today, a CEC meeting took place and in the meeting, we've discussed around 230 seats...We've discussed different criteria, the names are not yet finalised but in the next meeting, we will try...On most of the seats, discussion has happened...Winability is the biggest criterion."
Earlier, on October 3, the Congress screening committee met to choose candidates for the Madhya Pradesh assembly elections.
The ruling BJP and the Congress have stepped up their campaigning ahead of the election, taking potshots at each other.
Both parties have mobilised their top leaders and campaign heavyweights, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah leading the BJP campaign and Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, and other prominent leaders leading the Congress campaign.