Congress high command to choose Allahabad mayor candidate

The problems of infighting and bringing in outsiders at the cost of "devoted workers" — which troubled the Congress no end in the Assembly elections — seem to be cropping up again.

Amid protests from party MLA Anugraha Narayan Singh against state party chief Rita Bahuguna Joshi's proposed candidate for Allahabad mayor, the issue of finalising the candidate has now been referred to the high command in New Delhi.

The election will be held in the city, which has 80 wards, on June 27.

Currently, Congress holds the mayoral position, which has now been reserved for women.

In a meeting held late last week, Singh opposed the name proposed by Joshi. Joshi, who was present in the meeting, had proposed the name of Dr Satya Pandey, who is essentially from Kunda (Pratapgarh) and is not known to possess much political experience. Subsequently, the matter was referred to New Delhi.

Apart from Dr Pandey, the other name that has been sent to the high command is that of Shiri Wadhawan, wife of former mayor Ravi Wadhawan. The name of Mukti Vyas, wife of long-time city-based Congress leader Sunil Vyas, was also put forward by Singh.

Talking to The Indian Express, Singh said: "I opposed the name of Dr Pandey because I wanted the candidate to be somebody well known in the city and seen as somebody associated with Congress. She may be on good terms with the state president. But we will have to keep an eye on winning the elections. In any case, I will abide by the decision taken by the central high command, which is now apprised of the matter."

Singh, however, added that she had openly refused to help him out in the Assembly elections. "If she was a Congress worker, she should have worked for the party candidate. That did not happen and now it is being expected that we support her candidature," said Singh.

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