Cong clears 52 names for Arunachal polls

The Central Election Committee (CEC) of the Congress has cleared 52 candidates for the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly polls slated for next month. The CEC meeting at 10 Janpath last evening was chaired by party chief Sonia Gandhi.

However, the CEC decided to withhold the names of the candidates till the BJP and the regional outfits come out with their candidates’ names. Sources said that the Congress CEC has given its approval to the 52 single-name recommendations forwarded by the screening committee headed by former Chhattisgarh chief minister Ajit Jogi.

Meanwhile, in Itanagar, the BJP today released its first list of candidates for 28 seats.

State unit president Taba Hare (Doimukh constituency), former Congress mp Laeta Umbre (Roing), former Congress ministers Tengam Ngemu (Changlang North) and Noksong Boham (Kanubari) figured in the list of BJP candidates. The BJP’s next list is expected to be released by September 16, party sources said.