Congress leaders discuss Lok Sabha candidates for Telangana, Andhra Pradesh

Top Congress leaders on Monday, 1 April, discussed the names of Lok Sabha candidates for Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chief Sonia Gandhi along with senior party leaders from the respective states were present during the central election committee (CEC) meeting at the AICC headquarters.

Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy and Andhra Pradesh PCC chief Y S Sharmila were present during the separate meetings, besides AICC general secretary K C Venugopal.

CEC members Madhusudan Mistry, Amee Yagnik and K J George were also present at the meeting.

The seven-phase Lok Sabha polls will begin on 19 April.

Sharmila said five Lok Sabha and 114 Assembly candidates have been confirmed for the ensuing polls in the state.

She said these candidates were finalised in the meeting on Monday.

"The names of remaining candidates will be confirmed soon. The first list of candidates could be released tomorrow," said Sharmila in a press release.

The Communist Party of India (CPI), Congress and CPI (M) are INDIA bloc partners in Andhra Pradesh.

Elections for the 175-member Assembly and 25 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh are scheduled on 13 May and the counting of votes is slated for 4 June.