Senior Congress leaders including party’s nation spokesperson Pawan Khera took to social media to express their disappointment and frustration after being left out on Sunday from Congress’ list of candidates for Rajya Sabha elections.

Khera, who has been a popular face for the Grand Old Party on national television for several years, wrote in Hindi, “Maybe there is something missing in my penance.” His statement came son after his party released the names of 10 candidates for the elections to the Upper House, which will be held on June 10.

Claiming that Sonia Gandhi had promised her a Rajya Sabha seat 18 years back when she had joined Congress, actor-turned politician Nagma criticised the party’s move to select poet-turned politician Imran Pratapgarhi ahead of her. Sharing Khera’s tweet, Nagma, who is also the vice-president of Congress’ Mumbai unit, wrote, “Our 18 years of penance also fell short in front of Imran Bhai.”

“Sonia Ji our Congress president had personally committed to accommodating me in RS in 2003/04 whn I joined Congress party on her behest we weren’t in power then. Since then it’s been 18 years they didn’t find an opportunity. Mr Imran is accommodated in RS from Maha. I ask am I less deserving,” Nagma wrote on Twitter.

Congress’ selection of candidates from Rajasthan and Chattisgarh, where the party is in power, came under a lot of fire as the party went with ‘outsiders.’ Criticizing this move, Congress leader Sanyam Lodha was quoted as saying by news agency ANI, “Congress has nominated 3 Rajya Sabha candidates from Rajasthan, but none of them belong to the state. Party workers are disheartened because of this. I request the party to rethink this and nominate any leader from Rajasthan.”

Hitting out at Congress, BJP’s Rajasthan unit president Satish Poonia wrote on Twitter, “Congress’s Chintan Shivir took place in Rajasthan. Now look at another achievement of this thinking. Observe the quota of local candidates….without ‘local’ who will be ‘vocal’..?”

The Congress on Sunday announced a list of 10 candidates for the upper house elections in 57 seats across 15 states. The list includes senior leaders like P Chidambaram, Jairam Ramesh, Ajay Maken, Randeep Surjewala, Rajeev Shukla, Mukul Wasik and Vivek Tankha.