Kerala Congress list for 71 seats expected tonight

New Delhi, Mar 27 (UNI) The list of Congress candidates for the April-May assembly elections in Kerala will be announced tonight.

The list is expected to have names of candidates for 71 out of the 76 consituencies in which the Congress is contesting as a major partner of the ruling United Democratic Party (UDF).

The announcement of candidates for the constituencies of Kothamangalam, Kunnathunadu, Perumbavur, Ollur, Kodagara and Kalpetta are expected only later.

''The list is expected any time from Congress President Sonia Gandhi,'' AICC sources said.

The list was almost finalised at a meeting between PCC Chief Ramesh Chennithala, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, CWC member A K Antony and Mr Veerappa Moily, who is in charge of party affairs in Kerala, last night.

With Mr Chandy leaving here early today, Mr Chennithala met Ms Gandhi this morning and finalised the list which is expected to have more new faces and women.

The list could not be finalised at a meeting of the Central Election Committee (CEC) of the party yesterday as the members of the 14-member high-powered panel felt that it lacked adequate representation to youth and women. The CEC meeting was attended by Ms Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, among others.

Accordingly, the Steering committee, consisting of the three Kerala leaders and Mr Moily, revised the list at its last round of meeting last night.

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