Congress pitches candidates in Dalgaon, Karimganj South

GUWAHATI: The Congress apparently preferred to go with the anti-AIUDF wave in the state when it released the list of candidates for the second phase of Assam assembly elections last night.

The grand old party did not give in to the Badruddin Ajmal-led All India United Democratic Front demand for key constituencies such as Dalgaon, Karimganj South and few others. The party central election committee in-charge Mukul Wasnik released a list of 26 candidates last night.

The list was announced after much infighting within the Congress over the past week. Silchar MP Sushmita Dev even threatened to resign from the Congress only to be appeased by the intervention of the party high command. The second phase of polling in the state is scheduled for April 1.

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Former minister Siddique Ahmed, who had threatened to quit Congress protesting against the seat sharing with AIUDF, has been given ticket from Karimganj South, while sitting MLA Ilias Ali will contest from Dalgaon.

Former minister Ajit Singh has been nominated to contest from Udharbond and Pradyut Kumar Bhuyan has been pitched against Jayanta Malla Baruah of the BJP in Nalbari. Baruah is assumed to be a close associate of BJP strongman Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Suresh Borah will fight against Jitu Goswami of the BJP at Barhampur, a seat occupied over the past six terms by former two-time chief minister Prafulla Kr Mahanta. The party founder president was denied a ticket by the Asom Gana Parishad, an ally of the BJP, this time.