New Delhi, Oct 20: With no hope of an electoral tie-up with Congress, Samajwadi Party today announced its first list of 79 candidates for December 01 assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi. The names of the candidates, including five for Delhi, were approved by party's central parliamentary board which met here this morning, party general secretaries Amar Singh and Ram Gopal Yadav told reporters.

The meeting, presided over by party chief and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav, also decided to field Vimala Rakesh from Harora assembly constituency in Saharanpur district of UP which was vacated by former chief minister Mayawati. Dilip Varma would be party's candidate from Mahasi assembly seat in UP, the SP leaders said.

The first list comprises 57 candidates for Madhya Pradesh and 17 for Rajasthan, besides those for Delhi. Delhi candidates are Mahendra Yadav (Nangloi), Sherkhan Malik (Karawal Nagar), Mohammad Jafar (Babarpur), Wasim Ahmad Ghazi (Okhla) and Naraian Singh Khatik (Seemapuri).

To a question that from where would Mulayam Singh Yadav seek his election to the assembly, they said "it has not been decided yet. We have enough time for it".

On possibility of a tie-up with Congress, Singh said it has already been ruled out by the Congress leadership. He said candidates for other constituencies, including Chhattisgarh, would be announced as and when party decides.



Bureau Report