Bihar polls: Cong announces 7 more candidates; 61 names declared by party so far

New Delhi, Oct 20 (PTI) The Congress on Monday released names of seven more candidates for the Bihar Assembly polls, taking the total number of candidates announced by the party to 61.

The Congress' announced a list of six candidates post-midnight, even as a formal seat-sharing deal has alluded the Mahagathbandhan with the RJD and the Congress, the two main constituents of the alliance, unable to reach an understanding.

According to the list of six candidates, the Congress fielded Surendra Prasad Kushwaha from Valmiki Nagar, Abidur Rehman from Araria, Jalil Mastan from Amour, Tauquir Alam from Barari, Praveen Singh Kushwaha from Kahalgaon and Vinod Chaudhary from Sikandra (SC).

Later, the party fielded Minnat Rahmani from the Supaul Assembly segment.

With this, sources said that the final name had been announced and the party would contest on 61 seats, down from the 70 last time.

Chinks in the INDIA bloc's armour became all too obvious on Sunday in poll-bound Bihar, where disgruntled aspirants in the RJD and the Congress had a field day charging the leadership with having put tickets up for sale.

The last day for filing of nomination papers for the second and final phase is Monday.

The Congress and the RJD have continued to disburse party symbols.

The Congress on Thursday had released its first list of 48 candidates for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, fielding its state unit chief Rajesh Ram from Kutumba seat and CLP leader Shakeel Ahmad Khan from Kadwa.

Then on Friday, the party fielded Rishi Mishra from Jale, in a one-off announcement. On Saturday, the party released a list of five candidates. PTI ASK NB NB