Congress releases first list of candidates for Gujarat

Congress today released the list of 12 candidates for Gujarat for Lok Sabha elections. Eight sitting MPs have figured in the first list, which declared 12 of 26 candidates from Gujarat for parliamentary elections. Union ministers Dinsha Patel, Shankersinh Vaghela and Naranbhai Rathwa will contest from Kheda, Panchmahal and Chota Udepur constituencies respectively.

The names of other candidates are Tushar Choudhary, Madhusudan Mistry, Kishan Patel, Vitthal Radadia, Danicha Valjibhai, Satyajit Gaekwad, Jivabhai Patel, Bharat Sinh Solanki and Prabha Taviyad.

The party has fielded Madhusudhan Mistry, chief whip of Congress, from Sabarkantha constituency, former Gujarat Chief Minister Amarsinh Chaudhary's son Tushar Choudhary from Bardoli and former Indian Youth Congress president Satyajit Gaekwad from Vadodara.

PCC president Bharatbhai Solanki will contest from Anand, which is his home constituency, while Prabha Taviyad, Jivabhai Ambalal Patel and Vittalbhai Radadia will battle it out from Dahod, Mehsana and Porbander constituencies respectively. Kishanbhai V Patel and Danicha Valjibhai have been named as the congress candidates for Valsad and Kutch seats.

Congress today also announced the name of its candidate from the Union Terriority of Dadra Nagar Haveli. Six-time MP from Dadra and Nagar Haveli Mohan Delkar has been given the ticket from the same constituency. Delkar, an independent, had joined Congress during AICC President Sonia Gandhi's rally in Silvassa last month.

The Congress had won 12 of the 26 parliamentary seats from Gujarat during the 2004 Lok Sabha elections. The names of the candidates for remaining candidates for Gujarat is likely to be announced in a few days.