No papers filed in Delhi
TNS and PTI

NEW DELHI, Oct 30 — The process of filing nominations for the November 25 Assembly poll began in Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Mizoram with the issue of notification today in the respective states even as the major political parties were busy finalising their list of candidates.

Also going to the polls are the Broach Lok Sabha seat in Gujarat and one Assembly seat each in Assam, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

Involved in what is perceived as a mini general election since the BJP-led coalition assumed power at the Centre are an electorate of 220 million.

The last date for filing nomination papers will be November 6, while scrutiny will be held the next day. The last day for the withdrawal of candidature is November 9. Counting will be held on November 28 and the process of election will be completed by December 4.

Polling is to be held for 320 Assembly seats in Madhya Pradesh, 200 in Rajasthan, 70 in Delhi and 40 in Mizoram.

Assembly by-elections are for Udharbond (Assam), Seohar (Bihar), Baijnath (HP), Mongoya (Nagaland), Adampur (Punjab) Agra East (UP) and Namdampur (WB).

On the first day of the filing of nominations for the forthcoming Delhi Assembly polls, not a single nomination was filed in the election office.

None of the 35 returning officers appointed by the Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi, Mr O.P. Kelkar received nomination papers throughout the day.

The Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) headed by Mr Simranjit Singh Mann appears to have taken the lead in finalising the names of four candidates for the Delhi Assembly elections. The party plans to contest six seats in Delhi.

The general secretary of the party, Mr Ajitinder Singh Mofar, said apart from fielding candidates from Vishnu Nagar, Tilak Nagar, Moti Nagar and Hari Nagar, the party will field candidates from Kalkaji and Gandhi Nagar.

He said Mr Pritpal Singh, Mr Gursharan Singh, Mr Kulbir Singh and Mr Sarabjit Singh will be contesting the Delhi Assembly poll from Vishnu Nagar, Tilak Nagar, Moti Nagar and Hari Nagar respectively.

The president of the Delhi unit of the party, Mr Jaswinder Singh Virk, told The Tribune this was the first time the party was contesting the Assembly elections in Delhi. "This is our entry to Delhi politics," he said.

Asked why the party had chosen the aforesaid Assembly segments, Mr Virk said the areas had a high concentration of Sikhs and the party cadre in the areas was very strong. He said 15 to 20 seats in Delhi were decided by Sikh votes alone.

Mr Virk pointed out while Tilak Nagar had 28,000 Sikh votes, Vishnu Nagar and Hari Nagar had 47,000 and 42,000 Sikh votes, respectively.

Mr Mofar said the party was considering an alliance with the Janata Dal. Mr Mofar said the Janata Dal had a very clear ideology as it was both anti-Congress and anti-BJP. "We are open to proposals of an alliance with like-minded parties," he said.

Mr Mofar said if the party formed an alliance with the Janata Dal it would support it in Mizoram and Madhya Pradesh. He said his party planned to field candidates for a few seats in Ganganagar and Hanumangarh in Rajasthan.

Asked to spell out their poll promises, Mr Virk said, "The party will strive to undo whatever injustice has been unleashed by the BJP and the Congress governments."

According to Mr Mann’s statement issued today, the party will focus attention on the law and order problem and other public grievances.

The party proposes to collaborate with like-minded parties to launch a nationwide campaign against the "economic terrorism of the BJP."

Meanwhile, the screening committee of the Congress met at the headquarters of the Delhi unit today to shortlist the names of prospective candidates from the 1600 ticket seekers.

The members of the screening committee include party treasurer, Ahmad Patel, former Union Minister, Vijay Bhaskar Reddy, party’s in-charge of Delhi affairs Oscar Fernandes, DPCC president Sheila Dikshit and Leader of the Opposition in Delhi Assembly and veteran politician Jag Pravesh Chandra, sources said.

The list of candidates for the elections, sources have indicated, will be released by the All-India Congress Committee in two instalments.

Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee members indicated the screening committee would send about 150 names to the party president, Ms Sonia Gandhi, for the final decision. The list is likely to be finalised late tonight or tomorrow afternoon.

DPCC president Sheila Dikshit said apart from the "ability to win" of the candidate, youthfulness and clean image would be given priority while distributing the party ticket.

At least 150 women have sought the Congress ticket. In the last Assembly poll, the party had given the ticket to seven women candidates and only two emerged victorious.

The number of women candidates being given the ticket could go up compared to the 1993 Assembly poll, but the party might not field women candidates in 33 per cent of the Assembly segments sources in the Delhi unit said.

They, however, indicated the party would give preference to women aspirants if they stood equal to their male counterparts in winning the seat.

Sources indicated those 12 ticket seekers whose statements were recorded by the ethics committee of the DPCC against whom there were complaints of alleged criminal nature may not be given the party ticket.

Meanwhile, sources in the BJP election committee said the party would double the representation of women candidates in the forthcoming Assembly poll.

The party might field eight candidates, sources said, adding that the party was unlikely to give 33 per cent reservation to women while distributing the party ticket. The party had distributed four tickets in the last Assembly poll and only one woman managed to win the polls.