The Congress party has started the deliberation for selection of candidates for upcoming assembly elections in Uttarakhand.On Wednesday the nine member screening committee headed by Chairman Avinash Pandey held a series of meetings with the leaders of Uttarakhand unit, leaders of frontal organisations, heads of ancillary organisations and the district presidents of the party. 

Later talking to the media persons, Pandey said that the Uttarakhand is headed for a change and the Congress party is coming to the power in the state. He said that the party has already done surveys for selecting the best candidates and the screening committee would continue taking feedback from the local leaders. He said that the observers would submit their reports probably on December 10. Pandey said that the meeting of the state election committee would be soon organised and based on its recommendations the Central Election Committee (CEC) of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) would declare the list of the candidates.

He said that the factors like dedication, loyalty towards the party, work on ground and image would be considered for the selection of the candidates. In response to a question Pandey asserted that theg young leader and the powerful women candidates would be given priority in ticket distribution.  Pandey said that the screening committee would hold meetings with the local leaders in Garhwal and Kumaon divisions for selection of candidates. He accepted that there are many strong contenders for the party’s ticket in every assembly segment. In response to a question the Congress leader made it clear that the party would enter the election with collective leadership and would not put forward any face for chief minister.

Screening committee

The screening committee of Congress party for Uttarakhand is headed by All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary and Congress Working Committee (CWC) member Avinash Pandey. Senior Congress leaders Ajoy Kumar and Virendra Singh are its members while the AICC in charge of Uttarakhand Devender Yadav, Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Ganesh Godiyal, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Pritam Singh, former CM and head of campaign committeeHarish Rawat, Uttarakhand Co in charge Dipika Pandey and co in-charge Rajesh Dharmani are its ex officio members.