West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) has announced candidates for 291 seats for the upcoming Assembly elections in the State.

Mamata Banerjee will contest from the Nandigram seat.

“I will contest from Nandigram. I am going to Nandigram on March 9. On March 10, I will file nomination at Haldia,” said Mamata Banerjee.

Among the 291 candidates announced by the TMC, 50 are women, 42 are Muslims candidates, 79 Scheduled Caste candidates and 17 Scheduled Tribe candidates, Mamata Banerjee informed.

“Eminent personalities from the field of arts, sports, media and culture will be contesting with our party ticket,” the TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee said.

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“Will not contest the 3 North Bengal seats. We are not putting up our candidates there,” added Mamata Banerjee.

Mamata Banerjee said that the TMC chose to not contest in the 3 North Bengal seats so that its allies can contest from there.

Notably, in the list of 291 candidates, TMC has dropped over 20 sitting MLAs and that also include top State ministers.

TMC is not repeating 23-24 candidates for the 2021 election over various reasons, said Mamata Banerjee.

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“Have faith in me, only TMC can take Bengal to new heights. After we come to power we will create Vidhan Parishad to accomodate senior and experienced leaders,” she said.

West Bengal will vote in 8 phases between March 27 and April 29.