New Delhi, Sept. 16: The Congress appears loath to risk not nominating its MLAs in Maharashtra as the party braces for a tough electoral challenge next month.

As the party?s central screening committee led by A.K. Antony began shortlisting candidates for the October 13 Assembly polls this evening, it emerged that almost all the 80-odd sitting members and associate members (Independents now aligned with the Congress) would be fielded again.

?I don?t think we would be dropping many sitting MLAs,? said a senior AICC member known to be close to Congress chief Sonia Gandhi.

?It is our experience that sitting MLAs when denied renomination often end up spoiling the party?s prospects by entering the poll fray as rebel candidates or as nominees of rival parties. It complicates the situation,? the leader said.

Several legislators are unsure of getting party tickets as the leadership has been toying with the idea of dropping them if the party/alliance nominee had trailed in their Assembly segments in the recent Lok Sabha polls.

The Congress led its rivals in 71 Assembly segments in the general polls, but trailed in a large number of others held by its MLAs, particularly in Vidarbha.

So legislators from Vidarbha have been particularly edgy. They would, however, benefit from the high command?s fear that the Mayavati-led Bahujan Samaj Party ? looking to improve its impressive Lok Sabha poll showing in the region ? could adopt them if they were denied tickets.

Vetting the state election committee?s recommendations sent yesterday, the Antony-led screening panel is expected to finalise its shortlist tonight. The Congress? central election committee headed by Sonia is scheduled to meet tomorrow morning to make the final choice.

Sources said the entire Maharashtra list could be finalised tomorrow .

The Congress, however, has yet to announce its seat-sharing agreement with allies, especially the Nationalist Congress Party.

But the sources indicated that a formal announcement of the agreement ? widely believed to have been already clinched ? has been held up for tactical reasons. The party fears that the rebel factor could hurt the Congress-led alliance in seats that the party is leaving to allies.

First lists

The Shiv Sena today announced its first list of 84 candidates only 44 of whom are sitting MLAs. Former chief minister Narayan Rane was renominated. The BJP?s first list of 83 candidates, also released on Thursday, includes Gopinath Munde, senior leader from the state.