Controversy Erupts at Congress Meeting Over Candidate Selection

Local candidate demand sparks uproar during party’s consultation process

Key Points:

• Congress meeting disrupted by protests demanding local candidates

• Observer Bhim Kumar conducts closed-door consultations amid chaos

• Finance Minister Dr. Rameshwar Oraon and MP Sukhdev Bhagat present

• Party workers chant slogans against "outsider" candidates

LOHARDAGA – A Congress party meeting to discuss candidate selection for the upcoming assembly elections descended into chaos as party workers demanded local candidates.

The consultation meeting, held at Rajendra Bhavan, saw heated protests in the presence of party observer Bhim Kumar.

Moreover, slogans like "Remove outsiders, bring local candidates" echoed as Finance Minister Dr. Rameshwar Oraon and MP Sukhdev Bhagat looked on.

Protesters urged the party to stop treating Lohardaga as a "grazing ground" for outsider candidates.

Amid the uproar, Dr. Oraon stated that candidate selection would be made by a committee appointed by the high command.

Furthermore, he emphasized that the current meeting was only for consultation and discussion.

MP Sukhdev Bhagat acknowledged the sentiment for local candidates, promising to convey it to the party leadership.

Additionally, Bhagat stressed that the Congress party is built on workers’ sweat, not money.

The observer, Bhim Kumar, began individual consultations in a separate room as sloganeering continued outside.

Meanwhile, two factions chanted slogans in support of their preferred leaders during the closed-door deliberations.

The meeting, scheduled to start at 10:30 AM, aimed to evaluate potential candidates on various criteria.

These criteria included dedication to the party, loyalty, participation in party programs, and stability.

Attendees included district Congress committee officials, state representatives, and block presidents.

Furthermore, all 11 applicants vying for the party ticket were present at the meeting.

The consultation process is part of the Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee’s preparations for the 2024 assembly elections.