Congress anounce Youth and Experience candidates for Rajasthan Election 2008

Congress went for a mix of youth and experience when it finalized its list of 116 candidates for Rajasthan on Wednesday. The names of sons and daughters of several senior leaders figure in the first list. Although party leaders termed it a balanced list, they point out that the next lot of 84 tickets would be a tougher call to decide in view of the intense rivalry between the factions. Party insiders said none of the major satraps in Rajasthan Congress has been able to corner most of the seats. The groups led by Ashok Gehlot, Sachin Pilot and state party chief C P Joshi have got a fair number of tickets without being able to dominate the list. However, it is being pointed out that quite a few tickets have gone to candidates accused of land scams in and around Jaipur. The Rahul Gandhi effect was also visible in Rajasthan as the party has given a considerable number of tickets to youthful aspirants in their thirties. Nearly 20 of the 116 are from the youth brigade. Youth Congress activists like Neeraj Dangi and Ved Prakash Solanki — both Dalits —have got the tickets to enter the fray. This new focus on youth — visible after a long time — is being attributed to party general secretary Rahul Gandhi’s interventions on behalf of the Youth Congress — the organisation he looks after.