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Cong likely to release list today

By Spl Correspondent

NEW DELHI, March 14 - The Congress party is likely to release its list of candidates for the first phase of polls tomorrow, PCC president Anjan Dutta told this newspaper.

The screening committee of the party met again here this afternoon to shortlist the candidates. The committee includes chairman Kamal Nath, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, Zuber Khan, general secretary in-charge for Assam, Dr CP Joshi, besides Dutta.

Meanwhile, talking to this newspaper, Dutta said that after the names are shortlisted by the screening committee, the Central Election Committee is likely to meet on Tuesday after which the list of candidates for the first phase of polls is likely to be announced.

Dutta said the screening committee is again scheduled to meet on March 20 to shortlist the names of candidates for the second phase of polls. In the first phase, 65 legislative Assembly constituencies are going to the polls and in the next phase 61 LACs will have elections.

Dutta further said that the young generation and women have been given priority in the selection of candidates.

Meanwhile, AICC sources said that the list forwarded to the CEC has at least 104 constituencies with single names, 48 are youth and 18 women candidates. There are disputes over 18 seats, sources said.

Significant changes are expected in the list of candidates as the PCC president�s nomination from Sivasagar LAC has run into uncertainty following pressure from Speaker Pranab Gogoi to field his son. Dutta has fielded his daughter from his traditional seat Amguri, sources said.

In the meantime, Dutta met Congress president Sonia Gandhi today in connection with selection of a few candidates. Soon after the meeting, Dutta hinted that he may opt out of contesting from the Sivasagar seat.

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