Ranchi, Oct 22 (IANS): The Congress has released its first list of 21 candidates for the upcoming Jharkhand assembly elections. The list includes the names of five women nominees.

Among the current MLAs, the party has nominated Irfan Ansari from Jamtara, Badal Patralekh from Jarmundi, Pradeep Yadav from Poraiyahat, Deepika Pandey Singh from Mahagama, Rameshwar Oraon from Lohardaga, Amba Prasad Sahu from Barkagaon, Kumar Jayamangal from Bermo, Purnima Niraj Singh from Jharia, Banna Gupta from Jamshedpur West, Rajesh Kachhap from Khijri, Shilpi Neha Tirkey from Mandar, Bhushan Bara from Simdega, Naman Vikas Kongari from Kolebira and Ramchandra Singh from Manika.

Apart from these, Ajoy Kumar from Jamshedpur East, Munna Singh from Hazaribagh Sadar seat, Mamta Devi from Ramgarh, Jaleshwar Mahato from Baghmara, Sona Ram Sinku from Jagarnathpur, Ajay Nath Shahdeo from Hatia and Jaiprakash Patel from Mandu have been made candidates.

Among the current MLAs, the tickets of Umashankar Akela from Barhi seat and Alamgir Alam from Pakur seat have been put on hold for now. Alamgir Alam is in jail in a money laundering case.

The list was released after a meeting of the Congress screening committee, which was held in the national capital on Monday evening. Out of the total 81 assembly seats, the Congress will contest 28 to 29 seats.