Between beti and didi, dad’s obvious choice

Sources say the Congress has finalised the nomination of Nafisa, former Miss India and twice national swimming champion, from Calcutta South. It is learnt that West Bengal PCC chief Pranab Mukherjee played a major role in Nafisa’s meeting Sonia Gandhi and her subsequent nomination. ‘‘Though the final list will be out on March 10, it is confirmed that Nafisa’s name is there on the list for the Kolkata South constituency,’’ says State PCC general secretary Debabrata Basu. Nafisa, who now stays in Delhi, spent the first 24 years of her life at her ancestral house in South Kolkata.

Ali, 82, says he will always be by his daughter’s side during the electioneering: ‘‘My daughter has always been a winner in life and she has all my blessings.’’ A photographer by profession, Ali is the grandson of leading litterateur S. Wajed Ali who was said to be close to Rabindranath Tagore.