New Delhi, Jan 13 (IANS): The Congress on Friday named eight more candidates for the Punjab assembly elections and replaced two nominees but former cricketer Navjot Singh's name was missing from the list.

Sidhu met Rahul Gandhi on Thursday afternoon for 30 minutes to discuss the date of his formal induction into the party.

The Congress did not announce its candidate for Amritsar (East) assembly constituency in its fourth list of 10 candidates released on Friday.

Sidhu is likely to contest from the constituency, which his wife Navjot Kaur Sidhu represented in the Punjab assembly.

According to informed sources, Sidhu was likely to join the Congress on Saturday.

Ex-Congress MLA Rajkumar Gupta has replaced Tejinder Bittu in Jalandhar North while in the Bhadaur (SC) constituency Nirmal Singh Nimma has been replaced by Joginder Singh Panjgrain.

The Congress has so far released the names of 108 of the 117 candidates. The polls will be held on February 4.