Union Minister P Chidambaram finally had his say in opting out of race from the lok Sabha polls with Congress fielding his lawyer son Karthifrom Sivaganga.
The other names in the fourth list announced by the party late evening includes former minister and Rajya Sabha member Mani Shankar Aiyar, Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad from Udhampur and lakshman Singh, brother of AICC secretary Digvijay Singh from Vidisha.
The party also announced the candidates for remaining two lok Sabha seats — Mahabal Mishra and Ramesh Kumar from West and South Delhi, respectively.
In his first reaction after the announcement, Karti said, “My father has contested nine elections and thought it is time to give way. He is definitely not retiring from politics.”
Digvijay Singh’s son in-law Paranjayaditya Singh Parmar, whose name figured as a candidate from Panchamahal seat in Gujarat in the second list has been dropped. Ramsingh Parmar is the new candidate from the seat.
Aiyar has been nominated from his traditional seat of Mayiladuthurai and R Prabhu from Coimbatore. In Udhampur, where Azad has been made the candidate, sitting MP lal Singh will be considered for MlC seat.
Expelled JD-(U) MP Purnmasi Ram, who joined Congress on Wednesday, has been brought in from Gopalganj in Bihar replacing Dilip Kumar Manjhi, who was declared the party candidate earlier. Congress has changed its candidates in two other seats in Bihar, including Hajipur, where it has brought in Sanjiv Prasad Tony replacing Pratima Kumari and in Patna Saheb Kunal Singh has come in place of Raj Kumar Rajan.