New Delhi, Oct 27 (IANS): Hours after the crucial Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting, the Congress on Friday released the second list of 45 candidates for Telangana Assembly polls, which also included cricketer turned politician Mohammad Azharuddin.

The party released the second list after holding a CEC meeting at the party headquarters here which was chaired by party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and attended by CPP Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, party General Secretary, Organisation, K.C. Venugopal, state unit chief A Revanth Reddy, MPs Uttam Reddy, state incharge Manik Rao Thakre, CLP leader Bhatti Vikramarka Mallu, former Union Minister Renuka Chaudhary and others.

The meeting lasted for over two and half hours.

The party has fielded former Indian cricket team captain Azharuddin from Jubilee Hills, Bandi Ramesh from Kukatpalle, Madhu Goud Yaskhi from Lal Bahadur Nagar, and Srinivas Reddy from Palair Ponguleti Assembly seats.

The party has also fielded Tumalla Nageshwar Rao from Khammam Assembly seat and three-time Madhapur corporator V. Jagadeeshwar Goud from Serilingampally.

Goud had joined the Congress after quitting the ruling BRS on October 17.

On October 15, the Congress had released the first list of 55 candidates for the Telangana Assembly polls. The polling for the 119-member Assembly is scheduled on November 30 and counting of votes will take place on December 3.