Ahead of Bengal & Assam polls; Congress may hold CEC meeting today to finalise candidates

The first meeting of the Central Election Committee (CEC) of Congress is likely to be held on Saturday to finalise the names of candidates for the first two phases of the West Bengal and Assam Assembly polls, said sources. This crucial CEC meeting will be held via video-conferencing. Sources further informed that the senior leader of the party and leaders of Congress' West Bengal and Assam units will also participate in the meeting. 

Cong in Bengal & Assam to announce candidates soon

In West Bengal, Congress has stitched an alliance with Left parties and the newly floated India Secular Front (ISF) by Furfura Sharif Cleric Abbas Siddiqui. Meanwhile, 92 seats have been finalised for Congress in the alliance. Earlier on Friday, the alliance had announced the names of constituencies from where each party will contest for the first twp phases of the Assembly election in West Bengal. However, the consensus on some seats is yet to be arrived at by the alliance partners. The Left Front has also announced the names of candidates for the seats allotted to it.

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In Assam, Congress has joined hands with Badruddin Ajmal-led AIUDF, left parties and Bodoland People's Front (BPF) to form the "grand alliance". The seat distribution is yet to be announced. West Bengal Assembly elections for 294 seats will be held in eight phases starting from March 27 with the final round of voting taking place on April 29. On the other hand, Assam Assembly elections will be held in three phases. In the first phase, 47 seats in 12 districts will go to the polls on March 27. In the second phase, 39 constituencies in 13 districts will go to the polls on April 1 while 40 assembly constituencies in 12 districts to go on polls on April 6. The counting of votes in both states will take place on May 2.

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