New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi's candidacy from Wayanad in the 2024 Lok Sabha election has been confirmed by Congress's Central Election Committee (CEC), ending speculation over his re-election from the Kerala seat. The CEC, chaired by Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and attended by Sonia Gandhi and senior leaders including Karnataka Power Minister KJ George, cleared names for around ten states and union territories, with Karnataka receiving approval for 11 seats.

Sources indicate that Rahul may also contest from Amethi, with a final decision pending at a future CEC meeting. The party is expected to unveil its initial list of candidates on Friday, with a subsequent CEC gathering scheduled for March 11.

In Karnataka, the CEC approved names for 11 seats, including sitting MP D K Suresh from Bengaluru (Rural) and ten others in rural Karnataka. Notable attendees at the meeting included Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah participating via video conferencing.

The committee prioritized fielding experienced politicians in crucial battlegrounds, selecting former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and former minister Tamradhwaj Sahu for Rajnandgaon and Durg, respectively, to maximize electoral advantage. While candidates for four out of eleven Chhattisgarh seats have been finalized, former Deputy Chief Minister T S Singhdeo is reportedly not in contention.

The CEC's intent to retain all 15 incumbent MPs for the elections was evident, with leaders like Congress Kerala president K Sudhakaran and Shashi Tharoor from Thiruvananthapuram being favored for their electoral strongholds.

Deliberations continue regarding candidate selection for three Delhi seats, following a review by the Screening Committee. Names such as Alka Lamba, JP Aggarwal, and Sandeep Dikshit for Chandni Chowk; Arvind Lovely and Anil Chowdhury for North East Delhi; and Udit Raj and Rajkumar Chouhan for the reserved North-East Delhi constituency have been proposed, with final decisions expected in the upcoming CEC meeting on Monday.