Gangtok, April 14: The Congress today released its final list of candidates for the 32 Assembly constituencies and the lone Lok Sabha seat.

Though the party has been naming candidates at campaign venues, the final list was made “official” at a news conference held at Congress Bhavan today.

State Congress president Nar Bahadur Bhandari has chosen two constituencies, Gangtok and Central Pendam, in east Sikkim for his fifth Assembly bid.

He is pitted against Somnath Poudyal and another party president G.M. Rai of the Sikkim Gorkha Democratic Party in Pendam, and against N.K. Pradhan, who was voted twice to power on a Sikkim Sangram Parishad ticket, in the capital.

Pradhan joined the Sikkim Democratic Front last year.

Party vice-president and former cabinet minister K.N. Upreti has been fielded from Rhenock, from where Bhandari won in 1999.

Upreti will face newcomer Bhim Dhungel of the ruling Sikkim Democratic Front.

Congress working president Ashok Tshong will contest from the Soreng constituency where education minister in the SDF government, R.B. Subba, is fighting to retain his seat.

The Congress has also fielded a woman candidate, Purna Kumari Rai, from Jorethang constituency. She will take on SDF vice-president K.N. Rai.

In Damthang, chief minister Pawan Chamling’s home turf, the party has fielded Amar Yonzone.

Four SDF rebels, who joined the Congress, have also been rewarded with seats.

D.B. Gurung and Sherhang Subba have been allotted Geyzing and Dentam seats in west Sikkim. Kunga Nima and Sonam Choda have been fielded from with Assam Lingzey in east Sikkim and Dzongu in north Sikkim.

Bhandari said the party “would manage a comfortable margin to form the next government since the people were fed up with the SDF”.