Kolkata, 22 March (H.S.): The Humayun Kabir-led Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) on Sunday announced its first list of candidates for the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections, declaring nominees for 153 seats and stating that it will contest a total of 182 constituencies.

The list was released by the party chairman in the presence of other leaders. The party also clarified that it has not entered into any alliance with the CPI(M) or the ISF so far.

The party has fielded candidates in high-profile constituencies such as Nandigram and Bhabanipur. Humayun Kabir himself will contest from Rejinagar and Naoda in Murshidabad district. Out of the 22 seats in the district, candidates have been announced for 10.

Political observers are speculating whether the remaining seats have been left open for possible alliances or will be announced later.

According to party sources, Yasir Haider, former son-in-law of minister Firhad Hakim, has been fielded from Raninagar, while Pirzada Khoyaeb Amin will contest from Bharatpur, vacated by Kabir. Shahidul Haque has been named from Nandigram and Poonam Begum from Bhabanipur.

The party said names for the remaining seats will be announced in Kolkata on March 25, while its election manifesto will be released on March 28.

The manifesto is expected to focus on issues such as healthcare, price rise, law and order, and communal harmony.

Meanwhile, speculation is rife over the Islampur seat in Uttar Dinajpur district, where Abdul Karim Chowdhury, who did not receive a Trinamool Congress ticket, is likely to join AJUP. Party insiders indicated that the candidate announcement for that seat has been held back in view of possible developments.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey