The Congress party on Saturday extended by a fortnight the date for its leaders and workers to apply for party tickets to contest the 2022 Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh.
UPCC president Ajay Kumar Lallu, in a letter sent to party leaders and office-bearers, said the date for submission of applications earlier was September 25 but it has now been extended to October 10.
When contacted, party leaders said this step has been taken on the request of party workers and leaders who had been busy in training camps and other organisational issues and had found it difficult to apply in time.
They also said some prospective candidates did not want to apply during the “pitr paksha’ period, considered inauspicious by many to start a new work.
The partymen had been busy in training programmes and other organisational issues and they needed to visit the party office physically to apply for tickets, the leaders said.
They had requested the leadership for more time and so this decision has been taken, party spokesman Ashok Singh said.
Except for extending the time till October 10, no other changes have been made, he added.
Ahead of the election in Uttar Pradesh, the Congress Party has come up with a unique way to both raise party funds and seek “serious” candidates by providing for a payment of ₹11,000 to the party by ticket seekers along with their applications.