Noida: The Congress’s decision to nominate Arvind Singh from Gautam Budh Nagar has created a rift within the party, with many senior leaders saying the high command should have chosen a local instead of opting for an “outsider”. Congress member Raghuraj Singh, who claimed to have been with the party for almost three decades, openly said he would not support the candidate. He told TOI the party high command had failed to read the pulse of the people and given the ticket to a functionary whose family has links with the BJP and BSP. “I have been associated with the Congress for almost 30 years. I had contested from the Dadri Assembly constituency in 2002 and 2007. We had been advocating for a local candidate who has a base in Noida and Greater Noida. This candidate is not even aware of the Congress culture and has no network. I will not support him,” he said.Arvind’s father Jaiveer Singh Chauhan and mother Raj Kumari Chauhan had contested in several elections on BSP tickets earlier. They joined the BJP later. Arvind has said he has chosen to contest for the Congress because he likes the party’s ideology.Sources in the party said a group of Congress workers met Rahul Gandhi in his office on Monday and requested him about reconsidering the candidate. The Congress’s Gautam Budh Nagar president, Mahendra Nagar, admitted to “infighting” within the party and said he had recommended a local party worker for the candidature. “I had sent two letters to the UP Congress Committee, recommending a local candidate. But since the party high command has decided on the nominee, we will back him. We have called a meeting on Tuesday to chalk out a detailed plan for our campaigns,” he said.The Congress in neighbouring Ghaziabad, however, did not see any problem in Arvind’s nomination. The party in Ghaziabad has named its own nominee. “It does not matter if he or his family was in the BSP earlier. Our target is to ensure the BJP does not come to power again,” said Harendra Kasana, the Congress chief in Ghaziabad.Sources said Arvind was chosen because he represents the youth, is well-educated and has experience in contesting the last Lok Sabha election, though on a BSP ticket. Arvind has a master’s degree in international affairs from University of Leeds and is the chancellor of Noida International University. Arvind’s father Jaivir Singh issued a statement saying he and his family has severed all ties with him. “My entire family is with the BJP and follows its ideology. My son Arvind has started living separately since his marriage two years ago and has rebelled against our ideology. When I had joined the BJP from the BSP, he did not wish to follow us…,” he said in a Facebook post.

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