Trinamool announces 2nd candidates list for Assam; withdraws state senior VP's name

Guwahati: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Sunday announced its second list of candidates for Assam Assembly elections, naming Congress MLA Sherman Ali Ahmed from Mandia constituency while withdrawing the candidature of the party's state senior vice-president Dulu Ahmed.

The latest list has named seven party candidates, while the first one had 11 nominees.

With the withdrawal of party candidate Dulu Ahmed from Chamaria constituency, the TMC has so far declared its nominees for 17 seats.

Sherman Ali Ahmed, who remained suspended from the Congress for most part of his current term as MLA due to "repeatedly violating party discipline", had joined another opposition party, Raijor Dal, earlier this month.

As Raijor Dal, who is now part of a six-party opposition alliance which includes the Congress, denied ticket to Ahmed in its final list published late on Saturday night, the three-term MLA switched to the TMC and has been named its nominee for Mandia.

The other candidates named in the second list are Rojy Ahmed from Hajo-Sualkuchi, Avijit Mazumdar from Guwahati Central, Inus Kumar Kandan from Chabua-Lahowal, Paresh Borah from Mariani, Parimal Ranjan Roy from Karimganj North and Aziz Ahmed Khan from Karimganj South.

"Amendment to the First List (Sl. No. 6) – Candidature from Assembly Constituency Chamaria (LAC No. 27) stands withdrawn," the second list said.

Among party candidates named in the first list are Udangsri Narzary (Kokrajhar), Mominur Islam (Bilasipara), Kaushik Ranjan Das (Abhayapuri), Kalyani Kalita (Bajali), Rajan Chouhan (Goreswar), Hare Krishna Deka (Mangaldai), Faziur Rahman Laskar (Katigorah) and Shahajahan Laskar (Sonai).

Elections for the 126-member Assam Assembly will be held on April 9. Votes will be counted on May 4.