Keeping up the suspense, the Congress has not yet declared its candidate against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Varanasi. There has been speculation that it will field Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, but the party has so far maintained a studied silence. In a fresh list of 18 candidates it declared on Saturday night, six were from Haryana, four from Madhya Pradesh and eight from Uttar Pradesh. Haryana has 10 Lok Sabha seats, and by declaring candidates in six, it has closed the possibility of a tie-up with the AAP. Kumari Selja has been fielded from Ambala.
She won the seat twice, in 2004 and 2009. In 2014, she refused to contest. This time Congress president Rahul Gandhi has clearly said dictated that no leader would be allowed to sit out waiting for more conducive times.
Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee president Ashok Tanvar is contesting from Sirsa and Deependra Singh Hooda, the lone Congress leader to win from Haryana in 2014, has been fielded once again from Rohtak.
In Uttar Pradesh, the suspense continues about not only Varanasi but also seat suspense continues about Lucknow too. The Congress is struggling to put up a candidate against Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who is seeking a re-election there.
Rama Kant Yadav, who joined the Congress from the BJP, has been asked to contest from Bhadohi in Uttar Pradesh. He is a strong leader of Purvanchal.
