Congress releases third list of candidates for Chhattisgarh

New Delhi: Congress today released its third list of 24 candidates or the Chhattisgarh Assembly polls which include five-term MLA Pritamram Singh, a Satnami Samaj head’s son Rudra Guru and Anita Sharma, wife of slain party leader Yogendra Sharma. The party has so far declared names of 86 candidates for the total 90 assembly seats in the state that goes to polls in two phases next month. Four remaining candidates are likely to be announced on Wednesday.[caption id=“attachment_1200921” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Readying for polls. AFP[/caption] The party has finalised all its candidates ahead of the three-day campaign trail of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, party president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi in the state begging from 7 November. While Sonia Gandhi will address a rally on 7 November in Kanker, Rahul Gandhi will address two rallies the next day including one in Chief Minister Raman Singh’s constituency Rajnandgaon. On 9 November, the prime minister will address a rally in Raipur. The party had released the first list of 17 candidates on 11 October. The second list of 45 Congress candidates was released on 22 October. Congress is out of power in the state for 10 years and is making concerted efforts to oust the ruling BJP. In good news to the faction-ridden Congress, the party high command appears to have won over former chief minister Ajit Jogi. Jogi, who has the distinction of being the first chief minister of Chhattisgarh when it was carved out of Madhya Pradesh, was sulking for sometime. His wife Renu Jogi and son Amit Jogi have been given tickets. PTI