Cong releases list of 77 candidates for Bihar polls

NEW DELHI: PCC President Mehboob Ali Kaiser and CLP leader Ashok Ram figure in a list of 77 candidates announced by the Congress for the six-phase Bihar Assembly elections beginning on October 21.

While Kaiser, who was appointed the PCC chief a few months back, will be contesting from Simri Bakhtiarpur segment, Ram will fight the elections from Kusheshwar Asthan seat.

Congress is putting up candidates for all the 243 seats in the state where the JD (U)-BJP and the RJD-LJP are its main opponents.

Lovely Anand, wife of former MP Anand Mohan, has been given the party nomination from Alamnagar constituency, according to AICC spokesman Shakeel Ahmed.

Leader of the party in the Legislative Council Mahachandra Prasad Singh will be the candidate from Sahebganj.

Another prominent name in the list is Asif Gafur, grandson of former Chief Minister Abdul Gaful from Barauli.

Former MP Nagmani, who recently joined the party, will contest from Morwa Assembly segment.

Describing the list as a balanced one, Ahmed said, "The youth has got a good representation along with women".

He said the party was on the course for an "impressive performance" in the elections.