Lok Sabha Polls 2019 | Congress ready to declare candidates for Mumbai: Report

Following Congress chief Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Mumbai on March 1, the party seems to be ready to finalise its candidates from the cosmopolitan city for the upcoming Lok Sabha Polls.

Mumbai has six parliamentary constituencies, of which the Congress will be contesting in five. Of these five, candidates for four seats have been nearly finalised, Hindustan Times has reported.

Priya Dutt, former MP in the 15th Lok Sabha, has agreed to contest from Mumbai’s North-Central constituency, while Milind Deora is expected to contest from Mumbai South.

Eknath Gaikwad and Mumbai Congress Chief Sanjay Nirupam are expected to be in the fray from the South-Central and North-West constituencies, respectively.

Although Gandhi did not hold any official meetings with the state leaders, he has reportedly set the ball rolling over disputed seats, alliance with smaller parties and probable candidates in key constituencies.

Priya Dutt, who had earlier issued a press statement that she is opting out of active politics for personal reasons, was seen involved in a rally on March 1, where party workers were seen holding placards that read ‘Priya Dutt Once Again’.

“The party’s state and Mumbai leadership convinced her to not opt out, as the constituency is one of the most favoured for the party. She has started working in her constituency,” a party leader told the newspaper.

While the decision on the candidature of Gaikwad and Nirupam seems to have been finalised by the party, the Grand Old Party has still not been able to zero in on a candidate from Mumbai North constituency to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party’s incumbent MP Gopal Shetty.

Meanwhile, Rahul Gandhi is believed to be encouraging leaders in the Congress’ Mumbai unit to bury the hatchet and focus on upcoming polls.