Cong announces first candidates list for UP polls hours after SP alliance deal

The Congress party announced its first list of candidates for the Uttar Pradesh assembly election that begins on February 11, hours after it announced an alliance with the Samajwadi Party.

The Congress party announced its first list of candidates for the Uttar Pradesh assembly election that begins on February 11, hours after it announced an alliance with the Samajwadi Party.

Congress state president Raj Babbar at a joint press conference with Samajwadi state president Narsh Uttam in Lucknow on January 22, 2017. Both parties will contest the upcoming UP election together. (Deepak Gupta/HT Photo)

After sealing the deal with the incumbent ruling party, Congress released 41 names for the first two of the seven phases it is contesting, fielding senior party leader and former union minister Jitin Prasada from the Tilhar (Shahjahanpur) assembly seat.

A former union minister, Prasada is a young leader and known Brahmin face of the Congress in the state.

Read | Samajwadi Party, Congress announce alliance for 2017 Uttar Pradesh elections

Also among the candidates is Imran Masood from Nakur (Saharanpur), known for his hate speech against Prime Minister Narendra Modi during 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

Sitting MLAs CLP leader Pradeep Mathur (Mathura), Pankaj Kumar Malik (Shamli), Gajraj Singh (Hapur), Bansi Singh Pahadia (Khurja) and Sanjay Kapoor (Bisalpur) were included apart from former MPs and ministers.

Further, the Congress has fielded Mukesh Chaudhary from Deoband where its sitting MLA Mavia Ali has got a ticket from alliance partner, the Samajwadi Party. Former MP Surendra Goel has been fielded from the Muradnagar seat while former minister Deepak Kumar has been fielded from Purkaji (reserve) constituency. Former Congress MP Saif Ali Naqvi’s son has also been given a ticket from Pallia.