The Congress party has unveiled a fresh list of 17 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in 2024. Among the notable inclusions is Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy's sister, YS Sharmila Reddy, who will contest from Kadapa constituency.

In addition to Sharmila Reddy, Mohammad Jawed and Tariq Anwar have been named as candidates for the Kishanganj and Katihar seats respectively.

The recent list covers constituencies in Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal, with candidates announced for eight seats in Odisha, five in Andhra Pradesh, three in Bihar, and one in West Bengal.

Some of the key candidates include MM Pallam Raju for Kakinada, Gidugu Rudra Raju for Rajahmundry, and JD Seelam for Bapatla (SC) in Andhra Pradesh. In Bihar, Ajeet Sharma will contest from Bhagalpur. Odisha sees candidates like Sanjay Bhoi for Bargarh (ST), and Draupadi Majhi for Kalahandi.

With this announcement, the total number of candidates declared by the Congress for the upcoming elections has reached 228. The party is yet to disclose candidates for high-profile seats in Uttar Pradesh's Amethi and Raebareli.

Furthermore, the Congress is set to unveil its manifesto for the Lok Sabha elections on April 5, followed by two mega rallies on April 6 in Jaipur and Hyderabad.

The Lok Sabha elections are scheduled to commence on April 19, with polling for 543 seats to be conducted in seven phases. The results will be announced on June 4 following the counting of votes.

The latest developments indicate the escalating momentum as political parties gear up for the forthcoming electoral battle, setting the stage for a closely watched and fiercely contested election.