Cong releases first list of candidates for MP polls

After much dilly-dallying, Congress on Saturday night released the first list of 155 candidates for the November 28 Madhya Pradesh Assembly elections.

Former MPs Suresh Pachouri, Vijay Laxmi Sadho and Laxman Singh will be in the fray from Bhojpur, Maheshwar and Chachoura Assembly segments respectively.

Laxman is the younger brother of former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijaya Singh. Laxman was earlier with the BJP and had joined the Congress in January 2013.

Digvijaya's son Jaiwardhan has been re-nominated from the family pocket borough of Raghogarh.

Madhya Pradesh Congress working president Jitu Patwari will be in the fray from Rau constituency, while AICC Secretary Bala Bachchan will test the electoral waters from Rajpur Assembly seat.

Congress Legislature Party leader Ajay Singh, the son of party veteran Arjun Singh, will be in the fray from his stronghold of Churhat.

The finalisation of candidates for the 230-member Assembly was overshadowed by infighting between the factions led by Digvijaya and Jyotiraditya Scindia.

The two leaders hurled verbal volleys at each other during a meeting to finalise candidates on Thursday in the presence of Congress President Rahul Gandhi, prompting the party to set up a three-member committee to clear the differences.