Suresh Pachauri awaits Sonia nod
By IANSTuesday, March 17, 2009
NEW DELHI - The candidature of Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Suresh Pachauri from Hoshangabad Lok Sabha seat seems to be in jeopardy. His name was cleared by the central election committee (CEC), but it was missing from the first list of 12 candidates from the state, announced Thursday.
Some party managers believe this may be because in the Congress high command there is a view that state unit chiefs should focus on election management instead of contesting themselves.
Pachauri’s case has been referred to party president Sonia Gandhi for a decision. ‘The matter is pending with the Congress president and she is likely to take a decision in the next couple of days over the issue whether state Congress presidents would contest Lok Sabha elections,’ said Madhya Pradesh party spokesperson Arvind Malviya.
