This will be the inaugural meeting of the CEC, which is empowered to select the candidates. The meeting, scheduled for 6 pm on Thursday, will be attended by AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, as well as former chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, along with other senior panel members. At present, the Congress has not announced any candidate for the Lok Sabha polls in any state, while the BJP released its first list of 195 candidates last week.
Party sources said the CEC was expected to clear and announce candidates for 10 Lok Sabha constituencies in Telangana state in the first phase on Thursday. The candidates for the remaining seven Lok Sabha constituencies will be announced in the second phase, expected next week.
The Congress had a pre-poll alliance with the CPI for the Assembly elections held in December 2023 and offered one Assembly seat (Kothagudem) to the CPI as part of an alliance, which the CPI won.
The CPI is now seeking one Lok Sabha seat as part of the alliance, reportedly either Khammam or Warangal Lok Sabha seat. The CEC is expected to discuss this issue.
With the Congress coming to power in Telangana state three months ago, there is a heavy rush for Congress tickets to contest the Lok Sabha polls. Against this backdrop, it remains to be seen whether the Congress high command will offer a Lok Sabha seat to the CPI or convince it to stay away from contesting Lok Sabha polls by promising a Rajya Sabha seat later.