The Congress on Sunday, 15 October released the first list of candidates for the upcoming elections in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Telangana.
The party announced 144 party candidates from Madhya Pradesh, 30 candidates from Chhattisgarh polls and 55 from Telangana.
While former MP Chief Minister Kamal Nath will contest from Chhindwara, the Congress has fielded Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel from the Patan constituency.
This announcement comes a day after the party's Central Election Committee met on Saturday, 14 October to finalise candidates at the AICC office in New Delhi.
Madhya Pradesh
In Madhya Pradesh, former CM and PPC (Pradesh Congress Committee) chief Kamal Nath has been fielded from Chhindwara assembly constituency.
Jaivardhan Singh, the son of former CM Digvijaya Singh, has been chosen to contest from Raghigath seat. Besides, Digvijay Singh's brother Lakshman Singh has been fielded from Chachoura.
The Congress has also fielded Vikram Mastal from Budhni constituency, the same seat where BJP has fielded current CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Mastal is a television actor who had played the role of Lord Hanuman in the 2008 reboot of Ramayana.
In it's first list of 144 candidates, the party has fielded candidates in 30 ST community constituencies and in 22 SC community seats.
Last month, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had announced candidates for 136 out of 230 assembly constituencies in the state.
The elections will take place in a single phase on 17 November.
Chhattisgarh
In Chhattisgarh, Chief minister Bhupesh Baghel will contest from the Patan constituency. Meanwhile, Deputy CM TS Singh Deo has been retained from his bastion, Ambikapur.
Baghel has represented Patan since 2003 and served as the Chhattisgarh Congress chief from 2014 to 2019.
Congress leader Amarjeet Bhagat has been fielded from the Sitapur assembly constituency, where he has won the seat four times.
Out of the 30 seats announced, 14 belong to the ST and three to the SC communities. Three women have also been given tickets, as per the first list.
In Chhattisgarh, voting will take place in two phases -- 7 November and November 17.
Telangana
In Telangana, the Congress has fielded 55 candidates, with its state unit chief Anumula Revanth Reddy contesting from Kodangal assembly constituency. CLP leader Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu from Madhira-SC seat.
Among other prominent names is Dasari Seethakka, who will contest from Mulugu, Mynampally Rohit Rao from Medak and Mynampally Hanumanth Rao from Malkajgiri.
Out of 55 seats, 12 belong to the SC community and two to the ST. Telangana will go to polls in a single-phase on 30 November.
Earlier this week, the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the poll schedule for five states including Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Telangana and Mizoram.
Results will be announced for all states on 3 December.
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