Congress fields candidates against CPM in West Bengal

After Uttar Pradesh, Congress' alliance plans in West Bengal fell through as it fielded candidates against sitting CPM members in the state.

Congress late on Monday night announced the candidature of ex-union minister Deepa Dasmunsi and Abu Hena from Raiganj and Murshidabad constituencies respectively.

Dasmunsi, the widow of Congress stalwart late PR Dasmunsi, will take on sitting CPM member Mohd. Salim from Raiganj, while Hena will contest against Badarudozza Khan of the Left party.

Former union ministers M M Pallam Raju and J D Seelam will be in the fray from Kakinada and Bapatla Lok Sabha seats respectively.

Their names figure in the fifth list of LS candidates released by the Congress. The list has 22 nominees from Andhra Pradesh, five from Assam, six from Odisha, eight from Telangana, three from UP, 11 from West Bengal and one from Lakshadweep.

Congress President Rahul Gandhi's close aide and AICC Secretary Madhu Yashki Goud will contest from Nizamabad in Telangana, N Uttam Kumar Reddy from Nalgonda.

Abhijit Mukherjee, the son of former President Pranab Mukherjee, will seek a third term in the Lok Sabha from the family stronghold of Jangipur in West Bengal.

Former West Bengal Congress chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary will be in the fray from Berhampore.

In Assam, Congress has fielded Rajya Sabha member Bhubaneshwar Kalita from Mangaldoi.