Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath on Saturday dangled ticket bait to woo Bharatiya Janata Party leaders to his party ahead of November 28 Assembly elections in the state.
“Congress will give tickets to the candidates with winning prospects even though they join the party from BJP. Winning prospects of the candidates will be the sole criteria to get party ticket,” said Mr Nath.
Mr Nath’s announcement was in sharp contrast to promise made recently by Congress president Rahul Gandhi that only party’s grass root level leaders would be considered for nomination in the coming Assembly elections in the state.
“Parachute landing leaders (meaning leaders who join Congress from other parties) will not be considered for party ticket. I will cut down the parachute to trip their landing (meaning attempt to get ticket),” Mr Gandhi had earlier declared.
Mr Nath’s u-turn on the stated policy on eligibility for Congress ticket as was indicated by Mr Gandhi has raised eyebrows in party circle here.
“Mr Nath is trying to woo BJP leaders to the party by throwing bait of ticket. But, this will not go down well with the party cadres,” a senior Congress leader told this newspaper requesting anonymity.
Incidentally, ruling BJP took a dig at Mr Nath for “giving open invitation” to BJP leaders to join Congress. “It is now clear that Congress is frustrated over its dimming prospects in the coming Assembly elections in MP because of non-availability of suitable candidates in the party. That is why Mr Nath was trying to woo the BJP leaders to the party with the promise of giving them tickets,” said a BJP leader.
