Representative Photo

BHOPAL: Apparently facing a financial crunch, the Madhya Pradesh unit of Congress on Sunday asked ticket-seekers for the forthcoming Assembly elections to furnish a demand draft of Rs 50,000 along with their application.

"We shall be initiating the process of selecting candidates soon. The ticket aspirants can submit their applications between March 5 and 15," said the Congress general secretary in charge of Madhya Pradesh Deepak Babaria , after holding meetings with party office-bearers. "We decided today that aspirants for the party ticket should submit a demand draft of Rs 50,000 with their application," Babaria said.

Money will not hinder chances of poor aspirants’

For the SC/ST and women candidates, the amount would be Rs 25,000. Party needs their help,” Babaria told reporters at a press conference.

Replying to a question, Babaria said this didn’t mean that poor ticket aspirants won’t be considered at all. “The AICC would consider the names of aspirants who are poor but enjoy mass support. Money will not be ahindrance ,” he said.

The ruling BJP has been spending a huge amount of money during elections, the Congress leader alleged. He said that aspirants should also desist from putting on a show of strength to get a ticket.

Clarifying his statement made a couple of days ago that the leaders who were above 60 would not get party ticket, Babaria said that what he meant was such leaders, who have been defeated in recent elections, should withdraw from the race themselves. “This is not a policy decision. I believe such leaders should pave the way for younger faces on their own,” he said.

Assembly’s Budget session begins today

The month-long Budget session of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly will commence here on Monday with the address of Governor Anandiben Patel. The session is likely to be a stormy one with the opposition Congress deciding to corner the Shivraj government on several issues.

