Lok Sabha polls: MPs Shashi Tharoor and K Suresh among 27 candidates on Congress’ fourth list
The party replaced legislator and former Union minister KV Thomas from the Ernakulum Lok Sabha seat with Ernakulam MLA Hibi Eden.
The Congress on Saturday night released its fourth list of candidates for the Lok Sabha elections. Congress MPs and former Union ministers Shashi Tharoor and K Suresh are among the list of 27 candidates for Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Arunachal Pradesh, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The party replaced legislator and former Union minister KV Thomas from the Ernakulum Lok Sabha seat with MLA Hibi Eden. Thomas said he was “shocked and pained” by the party’s decision, The Hindu reported. “I do not know what wrong I have done. Whatever duty that the party has given me from time to time has been carried out by me in right earnest. So, this has saddened me beyond words.”
The party also replaced Arunachal East MP and former Union Minister Ninong Ering with James Lowangcha Wanglet. Among the party’s other nominees are Pathanamthitta MP Anto Antony and former Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki.
The Rahul Gandhi-led party’s list includes 12 candidates from Kerala, seven from Uttar Pradesh, five from Chhattisgarh, two from Arunachal and one from Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The Congress is yet to declare four candidates in Kerala where it is contesting 16 of the 20 Lok Sabha seats, PTI reported.
Voting to elect the 17th Lok Sabha will take place in seven phases between April 11 and May 19.
On March 7, the Congress had released its first list of candidates, which included party chief Rahul Gandhi who will contest from the party’s traditional bastion of Amethi in Uttar Pradesh. His mother and United Progressive Alliance Chairperson Sonia Gandhi will contest the polls from Rae Bareli constituency in the state.
Raj Babbar, Priya Dutt and Savitri Bai Phule were named in the party’s second list of 21 candidates, while former Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma and All India Mahila Congress President Sushmita Dev were among those named in the third list.