The Indian National Congress is in the final stages of rolling out its candidate list for the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. A crucial meeting of the Central Election Committee (CEC) was held at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi on Saturday, presided over by Party President Mallikarjun Kharge. Key leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and West Bengal Congress Chief Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, participated in the deliberations to clear the names of nominees for the high-stakes battle.

Alliance and Selection Strategy: Following the seat-sharing formula with the Left Front—which has already announced names for over 190 seats—the Congress has focused its selection on constituencies in its strongholds like Malda, Murshidabad, and parts of North Bengal. Sources indicate that the party aims to strike a balance between veteran leadership and fresh youth representation to counter the TMC-BJP binary in the state.

Expected Timeline for Announcement: The first list of candidates is expected to be officially released within the next 24 to 48 hours. Insiders suggest that clearance for approximately 60 to 70 seats has been granted by the central leadership. As the political temperature in Bengal rises with TMC and BJP already hitting the campaign trail, the Congress intends to hit the ground running immediately after the formal notification of their candidates.