Congress's first candidate list for Gujarat polls on November 16

Ahmedabad: With an eye on the Gujarat polls, state Congress is likely to release its final list of candidates for 70 assembly seats by Thursday next week.

“We will announce (candidates) for 70 seats on 16th (November),” said Bharat Sinh Solanki Gujarat Congress president.

The Congress's Central Election Committee (CEC) is expected to meet tomorrow to shortlist candidates. The meeting is likely to be chaired by party chief Sonia Gandhi and attended by senior leaders, including those from the poll-bound state, sources said.

Meanwhile, the state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) began its three-day board meeting on Friday, brainstorming on the final list of candidates contesting the 2017 assembly elections.

The BJP is likely to announce the first list of candidates immediately after the meeting, said sources. 

Gujarat goes to poll in two phases on December 9 and December 14. The election result will be declared on December 18.