Senior Congress leader Ajay Maken is all set to be the party's Lok Sabha candidate in New Delhi constituency as no other leader of the party on Thursday came forward to enter the contest for the seat under Rahul Gandhi-promoted US-style "primaries" system.
"Ajay Maken, who is an MP from New Delhi constituency, today filed his nomination under primaries project at DPPC office. As no other leader of the party came forward to file his nomination, Maken will now be the candidate from New Delhi Lok Sabha seat," said Hari Shankar Gupta, Delhi's in-charge for the project.
Gupta said since only one nomination has been filed for New Delhi seat, voting, which was scheduled to be held on March 6, will not take place.
"A convention has been called on March 1. Maken will address party workers at Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee office," Gupta added.
Earlier in day, after filing nomination, Maken claimed he had the support of 233 voters. "Congress workers have faith in me. Out of 303 voters, I have got the support of 233 voters," Maken told reporters in New Delhi.
Asked if primaries project, an experiment by Congress' vice president Rahul Gandhi, would boost groupism among party workers, Maken said every political party has to face groupism.
"If we think that there is no groupism among party workers, it would not go away if we close our eyes. Every political party, whether it is Congress or Aam Aadmi Party, has to face groupism. With primaries project, workers will now have a say in selecting their candidate," Maken said.
Primaries for selecting the Congress nominee for Northeast Lok Sabha seat, from where Jai Prakash Agarwal is sitting MP, will be held on March 11 and results will be announced on the same day. In the first phase, 15 Lok Sabha constituencies across the county have been brought under primaries project.
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