New Delhi, March 30: The Congress today named senior leader and former MP Kirip Chaliha as its choice to take on the BJP’s Bhupen Hazarika and the AGP’s Bhrigu Phukan in the battle royale for the prestigious Guwahati Lok Sabha seat.

Chaliha’s name was announced in the fifth list of candidates for the forthcoming general elections. Sitting MP Ranee Narah has been renominated from Lakhimpur despite protests by several legislators, who are still camping in Delhi.

Former MLA and minister Anwar Hussain has been selected to contest from Dhubri, which has traditionally been a Congress stronghold. For the reserved constituency of Kokrajhar, Derhagra Muchahary will now take on sitting parliamentarian S.K. Bwismutiary, who is the nominee of the Absu-BPAC, backed by the BJP.

Sitting MP from Arunachal Pradesh (East), Wangcha Rajkumar, has also been selected to contest from the seat.

Filing of nominations for the six parliamentary constituencies of Assam, which will go to the polls on April 20, ends tomorrow. These constituencies are Dhubri, Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Mangoldoi, Tezpur and Guwahati.