Four sitting Congress MPs are likely not to get tickets for contesting the Lok Sabha polls scheduled for April 30 in the state.

According to reliable party sources, Banaskantha MP Harisinh Chavda is likely to be denied a nomination owing to his old age. He is 78.

The other three will be denied tickets owing to criminal charges against them and opposition from the party rank and file.

Amreli MP Virjibhai Thummar is facing serious criminal charges in connection with the misappropriation of huge amount of public money on the promise of sale of tractors on subsidised prices through a trust run by his family.

As the party earned a bad name due to embezzlement of public money by his family trust, sources said that the Congress could not put up a good performance in Amreli district in the December 2007 Assembly elections. The party won only one Assembly seat and that too of BJP dissident Bavuku Ughad who had his personal influence in the constituency because of his past political work. Thummar is not likely to be fielded again.

The other two who are being denied nominations are Jamnagar MP Vikram Madam and Junagadh MP Jasu Barad. Both are reported to be facing severe opposition from the local party units. According to sources, Jamnagar party workers are angry with Madam for his hobnobbing with the BJP and have complained to state party bosses not to re-nominate him again.