Gehlot Says Ticket Distribution Process Going on 'Smoothly', Candidates to Be Selected on Winnability

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Saturday said the ticket distribution process for the upcoming assembly polls is going on “smoothly” and asserted that candidates would be selected on the basis of winnability as well as the feedback received from a survey conducted.

He made the remarks ahead of the screening committee meeting here. Later in the evening, the screening committee met in the party’s war room at 15, Gurudwara Rakabganj Road to discuss the names of the candidates put forward by the state’s election committee headed by Rajasthan unit chief Govind Singh Dotasra.

Lok Sabha member Gaurav Gogoi heads the screening panel for Rajasthan polls, with Ganesh Godiyal and Abhishek Dutt being the other members. Gehlot, Dotasara and senior leader Sachin Pilot are among the other members.

After the screening committee meeting, Dotasra told reporters that discussions were held on all seats and the names that have been given by the PCC as well as the feedback from the survey were deliberated upon.

Discussions would continue and then the names will also be deliberated in the party’s central election committee before they are announced, he said.

Dotasra said there was no question of any division or opposition on seats.

Earlier in the day, Gehlot told reporters: “After a very long time, the election committee of the RPCC went to the districts and took feedback… Yesterday, the party chief asked everyone to come to Delhi and give their opinions to the committee chairman.”  The tickets would be distributed purely on the basis of the feedback received in the survey that has been done, he said.

Gehlot asserted that the ticket distribution process is going on smoothly.

“There is no wave against the government. People have no complaints from us. And if there is a complaint against an MLA, people are going to go to their constituency, there is a survey report, and we will also take feedback… Everything would depend on the feedback,” he said.  The tickets would be given only on the basis of winability, he stressed.

Congress’ Rajasthan state election committee had held discussions on names of candidates for the upcoming assembly elections in Jaipur on Friday, amid demonstrations by party workers against some sitting MLAs.

They demanded that the party not give tickets to certain MLAs for the November 25 elections.