Congress Declares Candidates In Andhra Pradesh, Bihar And Odisha; Names Sitting Lok Sabha MPs, Former Rajya Sabha MPs

Congress on Tuesday (2 April) released its 11th list of Lok Sabha candidates with 17 names. Y S Sharmila Reddy, who joined the party earlier this year, has been fielded from Andhra Pradesh's Kadapa.

The constituency has been with the Jagan Mohan Reddy's YSR Congress Party for over a decade. Sharmila is Jagan's sister and parted ways from him after their father's demise.

Congress declared four more candidates in Andhra Pradesh in the constituencies that elected YSRCP MPs in the 2019 elections.

Former Union Minister in the Manmohan Singh Cabinet, MM Pallam Raju is fielded from Kakinada, a constituency he held from 2004 to 2014 and earlier in 1989-1991.

Former Andhra Pradesh Congress president Gidugu Rudra Raju is fielded from Rajahmundry and former Rajya Sabha MP JD Seelam will contest from Bapatla.

Incumbent and lone Congress MP in Bihar, Mohammad Jawed has been repeated from Kishanganj. Former Rajya Sabha MP Tariq Anwar will contest from Katihar, where he has been contesting since 2009.

While Anwar lost to Janata Dal (United) candidate in 2019, he won in Katihar on a Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) ticket in 2014. In 2009 too, he contested on an NCP ticket but lost to BJP candidate.

Sitting Bhagalpur MLA Ajeet Sharma is fielded from Bhagalpur Lok Sabha constituency. The seat was not contested by Congress in 2014 and 2019 as it was in RJD's quota.

Eight candidates from Odisha were also declared including former Bargarh MP Sanjay Bhoi and sitting Koraput MP Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka.

Congress fielded Munish Tamang in West Bengal's Darjeeling. He will challenge sitting BJP MP Raju Bista. Gopal Lama is Trinamool Congress' candidate here.