The Congress on Friday released its maiden list of 115 names for the upcoming Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls. While a majority of the party’s sitting MLAs have been given renomination, candidates in 44 seats, who lost in the previous elections, have been replaced.
However, the party has given tickets to at least 20 candidates who had been defeated in the 2008 polls.
Prominent names in the first list include Leader of Opposition Ajay Rahul Singh, former MP Home Minister Satyadev Katare, who had lost in 2008, Rajnaish Singh, son of senior Congress leader Harvansh Singh and senior leader and former state Youth Congress chief Govind Singh Rajput.
The party has fielded a new face from the Jabera seat, which was represented by former minister the late Ratnesh Solomon,a relative of Congress leader Ajit Jogi.
Former state Home minister Mahendra Boddh, who lost the last election from Bhander was denied the party ticket.
Party sources said the first list clearly shows the importance accorded to Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia by the Central Election Committee while finalising the list.
And names like former state Home minister Satyadev Katare, who lost in 2008 but has been nominated again, are regarded as members of Scindia’s inner circle.