Former Union Minister Jitin Prasad and controversial Uttar Pradesh Congress vice-president Imran Masood has figured in the first list of 41 candidates announced by the Congress soon after sealing an alliance with ruling Samajwadi Party on Sunday.
While Prasad will contest from Tihar Assembly constituency in the poll bound UP, Masood is the candidate from Nakur. AICC sources said that Jitin has been brought in as the Brahmin face following the withdrawal of Sheila Dikshit as the party’s Chief Ministerial candidate and in the event of formation of Congress-SP Government, Jitin may be installed as the Deputy Chief Minister.
In the list of 41, there are nine Muslim candidates who include Mohd Azad Safi from Meerut South, Mohd Aarif Khan from Syana and Nawab Mujahid Hassan Khan from Bareilly Cant which goes to polls in the second phase.