Gujarat Elections: Congress likely to declare 1st list of candidates today

As per sources, One of the main reasons for delay is that both the parties are waiting for the other side to come out with its nominees.

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Ahmedabad: With only couple of days left for Gujarat to go to polls, both Congress and ruling BJP are yet to declare their candidates for the first phase of assembly elections. As per sources, Congress is likely to come up with its first list on Friday; the nominations for the same opened on November 14. One of the main reasons for delay is that both the parties are waiting for the other side to come out with its nominees, sources said. The last date of filing nominations for the first phase of the polls - when 89 seats will see voting on December 9 - is November 21. A meeting of the BJP Central Election Committee (CEC) was held in New Delhi yesterday to finalise candidates. After the meeting, attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP said though the party has finalised candidates for many seats, it will declare the list at an "appropriate time". The Congress was to hold a meeting of its screening committee today in New Delhi to decide on candidates, but it was postponed for tomorrow, party spokesperson Manish Doshi said. Election will be held in 93 assembly constituencies in the second phase on December 14. Counting of votes in Gujarat, which has a 182-member assembly, will take place on December 18. The socio-political situation in Gujarat is fluid in the backdrop of agitations launched by the the Patels, OBCs and Dalits to achieve their respective goals, they said. The other reason is to avoid a possible rebellion by ticket hopefuls if they do not make it to the final list, the sources added.