Congress Ticket Controversy in Jharkhand Elections

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma accused Congress of selling election tickets, following claims by Barhi legislator Umashankar Akela of being denied a nomination for not paying a Rs 2 crore donation. Congress refuted the claim, citing Akela's poor performance as the reason for exclusion.

Assam's Chief Minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, launched an attack on the Congress party, accusing it of having a 'tradition of selling election tickets.' His comments were in reaction to Barhi Congress legislator Umashankar Akela's allegations of being denied a ticket over a two crore donation he couldn't afford.

Sarma highlighted this practice as a recurring issue within the Congress, asserting that around 20 per cent of its tickets are reportedly sold in each state. He contrasted this with the NDA's unified candidate strategy and criticized the INDIA bloc's ongoing seat-sharing conflicts. As BJP's election co-in-charge for Jharkhand, Sarma expressed confidence in his party's forthcoming victory.

Akela claimed that paying the alleged sum would have secured his candidacy, while Congress dismissed these accusations, pinning his exclusion on his lackluster performance. Meanwhile, Congress has announced its second list of candidates for the Jharkhand assembly polls, with Arun Sahu taking the spot for Barhi. The elections are scheduled for November 13 and 20, with results to be declared on November 23.

(With inputs from agencies.)