New Delhi: The Congress on Sunday released its first list of 51 candidates for the Maharashtra Assembly elections, fielding former chief minister Ashok Chavan from the Bhikar constituency and state party chief Vijay Balasaheb Thorat from Sangamner. 

Former chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh's son Amit has been fielded from the Latur City seat, while ex-home minister Sushilkumar Shinde's daughter Praniti will contest from the Solapur City Central seat.
 
Senior party leader Nitin Raut, who heads the party's SC department, has been fielded from the Nagpur North (reserved) constituency. 

The list of candidates was finalised after the party's Central Election Committee met under the chairmanship of party chief Sonia Gandhi and cleared the names. 

The assembly elections in Maharashtra will be held on October 21 and results will be out on October 24.