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Pranab to contest from Jangipur; Moushami gets Kolkata North-East

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, MARCH 31. Amid criticism of the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, being "surrounded by leaders without a political base," the party today decided to field one of the key members of this "inner-circle," Pranab Mukherjee, from the Jangipur Lok Sabha constituency in West Bengal.

Mr. Mukherjee's name figured in the list of 10 candidates announced by the party for West Bengal. Another prominent name in the list is actress Moushami Chatterjee who joined the party recently. She will contest the Kolkata North-East seat, which was held by the former Congressman and dissident Trinamool Congress leader, Ajit Panja.

The Congress has decided to field Tapas Mazumdar in Dum Dum against Tapas Sikdar of the Bharatiya Janata Party, and O.P. Mishra in Jadavpur, which was held by Krishna Bose of the Trinamool Congress in the 13th Lok Sabha.

The party also announced candidates for Kerala — completing its list for the State — and Ranchi, where it has given ticket to the AICC secretary, Subodh Kant Sahay.

It has decided to change its candidate for the Assam Autonomous District. In place of Kuntila Ronghangpi, the party has now nominated B.S. Engti. With today's list of candidates, the Congress has finalised its nominees for 294 seats across the country.

SP claim refuted

Meanwhile, the party spokesman, Abhishek Singhvi, today demanded that the Samajwadi Party general secretary, Amar Singh, substantiate his claim that 18 seats had been offered to the Congress in Uttar Pradesh. "Such an offer was never made to the Congress at any level. If Mr. Singh wants to stick to his claim, let him say to whom this offer was made and when.''

As for the resignation of veteran Congress leader P. Shiv Shanker, the spokesman said it was "most unfortunate that senior leaders who have held positions of authority within the party and the government should leave the Congress at a time when the party needs them."

Denying that Mr. Shiv Shanker had been isolated, Mr. Singhvi ruled out the possibility of the Congress extending an olive branch to him.

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