Congress and AISF Set to Release Candidate Lists for Bengal Elections Today
Synopsis
Kolkata witnesses a crucial moment as Congress and AISF prepare to unveil their candidate lists for the West Bengal Assembly elections. Significant figures like Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Mausam Benazir Noor are expected to be featured. Stay tuned for the latest updates on this political development.
Key Takeaways
Congress to release 100 candidates for 294-seat assembly.
AISF will announce candidates for 33 assembly seats .
Former leaders like Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury expected to contest.
Congress ends seat-sharing with Left Front .
Impact of candidate selections could shape election dynamics.
Kolkata, March 23 (NationPress) The Congress party and the All India Secular Front (AISF) are set to unveil their candidate lists today. Congress is anticipated to release its initial list featuring 100 candidates for the 294-seat West Bengal Assembly. Meanwhile, the AISF, which has entered a seat-sharing agreement with the CPI(M)-led Left Front, plans to announce candidates for all 33 seats it will contest.
This election cycle, Congress has opted to end its collaboration with the Left Front that began during the 2016 West Bengal Assembly elections. The party will independently compete for all 294 Assembly constituencies across the state.
A member of the West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee, closely associated with former state Congress president and five-time Lok Sabha member Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, indicated that his name is likely to feature prominently in today’s first list. Chowdhury is expected to contest from one of the 22 Assembly constituencies in his home district of Murshidabad.
Additionally, there is speculation that Mausam Benazir Noor, a former Rajya Sabha member from the Trinamool Congress who recently returned to Congress, may also appear in the candidate list. She is likely to run for either the Sujapur or Malatipur Assembly Constituency in her native Malda district.
The first list will primarily consist of candidates from districts where Congress has historically held strength, including Malda, Murshidabad, North Dinajpur, and Purulia, according to the WBPCC member.
On the other hand, while the AISF will release candidates for 33 Assembly constituencies, there will be friendly contests against some Left Front allies in specific areas, notably with the All India Forward Bloc, which was the only Left Front ally to oppose a seat-sharing arrangement with the AISF. In the 2021 West Bengal Assembly polls, Congress, the Left Front, and AISF formed a three-way alliance.
Neither the Left Front nor Congress secured any MLAs in the 2021 elections, while Nawsad Siddique emerged as the sole AISF representative from Bhangar in the South 24 Parganas district.
Point of View
The upcoming release of candidate lists by Congress and AISF marks a critical juncture in West Bengal's political landscape. With both parties adopting distinct strategies, the ramifications of these choices could shape the dynamics of the Assembly elections significantly.
NationPress
10 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
When will Congress and AISF release their candidate lists?
Congress and AISF are expected to unveil their candidate lists today, March 23.
How many candidates will Congress announce?
Congress is likely to announce its first list of 100 candidates for the 294-seat West Bengal Assembly.
What is the seat-sharing arrangement for AISF?
AISF will have a seat-sharing agreement with the CPI(M)-led Left Front for the upcoming elections.
Who are some prominent candidates expected in the lists?
Notable candidates include Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury and Mausam Benazir Noor.
What was the outcome of the 2021 West Bengal Assembly elections?
In the 2021 elections, neither Congress nor the Left Front secured any seats, while AISF had one representative elected.
