Party unlikely to field candidates who have lost multiple elections; Congress to strengthen booth-level organisation
Mandi/Bilaspur: Himachal Pradesh Congress in-charge Rajni Patil has made it clear that leaders who have lost two or three consecutive elections may not be considered for tickets in the 2027 Assembly polls. She also said neither the chief minister nor the state Congress president could announce candidates, as the final decision rests with the party high command.
Addressing a meeting of the District Congress Committee at Gandhi Bhawan in Mandi on Friday, Patil said the party would assess potential candidates through visits to different areas and consultations with local people before taking a decision on ticket allocation.Referring to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s reported remarks about giving tickets to certain leaders, Patil said he might have made the statement informally, but the final decision would be taken by the high command.Several Congress leaders who have lost elections repeatedly, including Thakur Kaul Singh, Rangeela Ram Rao, Sohan Lal and Prakash Chaudhary, were present on the stage during her address.
Patil takes a swipe at Kangana Ranaut
Patil also criticised Mandi MP Kangana Ranaut over her remarks about Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Referring to Ranaut’s comments, Patil said the BJP MP often made statements against Priyanka Gandhi and described her as a “peahen”. Patil responded by saying that Kangana Ranaut was the “biggest peahen” herself.
At a separate District Congress meeting in Bilaspur, Patil said the party had begun preparations for the 2027 Assembly elections and would focus on strengthening its organisation at the booth level.Addressing party workers at the district Congress office, she expressed confidence that the Congress would return to power in Himachal Pradesh.
Patil received a welcome from party workers upon her arrival in Bilaspur. She also said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was fighting for the interests of the common people and receiving their support.The party’s focus on strengthening its grassroots network is expected to play a key role in its preparations for the next Assembly elections.
