Trinamool Congress Announces 23 Candidates For Assam Polls

Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress has released its first and second list of candidates for the assembly elections in Assam. Under the leadership of Sushmita Dev, the party is fielding candidates on 23 of the state's 126 seats.

The candidates include MLA Sherman Ali Ahmed (Mandia), Rojy Ahmed (Hajo-Sualkuchi SC), Avijit Mazumdar (Guwahati Central), Inus Kumar Kandapan (Chabua-Lahowal), Paresh Borah (Mariani), Parimal Ranjan Roy (Karimganj North), and Aziz Ahmed Khan (Karimganj South).

Party Vice President Dulu Ahmed, who was planning to contest from Chamaria, has stepped back. "I have withdrawn my name...  my original constituency is Hajo-Suwalkuchi," he told reporters. 

"We are fully prepared... Three-time MLA from Mandia constituency, Congress's Sherman Ali, joined our party today," he said. Ali has joined Trinamool after leaving Raijor Dol and will contest from Mandia. He expressed confidence in winning for the fourth time. The constituency is expected to witness a tough contest, with the line-up of candidates from Congress, AIUDF and BJP making it a key battleground.

Read: Trinamool Congress To Contest Assam Polls Independently

"Forming government in Assam requires 63 or 64 seats. But we are not trying to form a government now," he said, asserting that the party meant to defeat the BJP. "The BJP can't lose while the Opposition parties are busy fighting each other," he added.

The Trinamool is focusing on contests on selective seats, strategic withdrawals, and consolidation of opposition votes to counter the BJP in Assam.

Regarding the party's campaign plans, Ahmed said: "As of now, 18 star-campaigners from our party decided to campaign in Assam. We can't assure the exact date but after April 1, we clear and announce our schedule. "

Senior leaders including Mamata Banerjee are expected to campaign in Assam.

The Trinamool has been trying to carve out a niche for itself in Assam for long. The party opened its account in 2001 and then won one seat again in 2011.

"We only had one MLA -- that is also from my constituency Hajo-Suwalkuchi. We are expecting more numbers this time," said Ahmed. 

The party, he added, had announced a mixed bag in terms of candidates -- Muslims, ST-SC, Ahom and Bengali. "The voter is not from any particular party. They can move with development," he said.