Bhopal, November 3: The Congress on Saturday released its first list of candidates for Madhya Pradesh assembly elections 2018. The party has named its nominees from 155 constituencies. The list comes a day after the BJP declared its candidates 177 seats.

The 230-member MP legislative assembly polls will witness a high-octane electoral battle between the Congress and the BJP. Both parties will unveil the remainder of the candidates by Friday, as November 9 is the last date to file the nominations. BJP Releases List of Candidates for MP Assembly Elections 2018.

The candidatures will be scrutinised by the Election Commission on November 12, with November 14 being slated as the last date for withdrawal of nominations.

Check constituency-wise names of candidates in Congress' 1st list for Madhya Pradesh assembly elections 2018:

Pollsters have so far given the Congress the edge moving into the assembly elections of Madhya Pradesh. Facing an anti-incumbency of 15 years, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is predicted to lose power in the forthcoming polls.

The latest opinion polls have projected the Congress to emerge winner on 120-130 seats, comfortably above the halfway mark of 115. The BJP is predicted to be reduced to 100-110. Other parties, including the BSP and Samajwadi Party, are unlikely to leave a dent.

Along with Madhya Pradesh, the assembly polls will also be conducted in Mizoram, Telangana, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. While Mizoram and MP go to polls in single phase on November 28, Chhattisgarh will be contested in a two-phased elections on November 12 and 20.

Telangana and Rajasthan would, meanwhile, go to polls in a single-phase on December 7. The results of the 5-state elections - touted as the semi-final to 2019 Lok Sabha polls - will be declared on December 11.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 03, 2018 09:30 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).