The Congress on Tuesday said it would field its own candidate in Lucknow, just hours after it became clear that SP nominee Sanjay Dutt won’t be able to contest the elections as the Supreme Court had refused to stay his conviction in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case.

“Since Sanjay Dutt has not been allowed to contest, we will field our candidate from Lucknow and will leave no stone unturned to ensure our victory. The candidate’s name will be made public within the next two days,” said Digvijay Singh, AICC general secretary in charge of UP.

Explaining the party’s earlier decision of not fielding a candidate against the actor, Singh said: “We had a soft corner for Sanjay Dutt because of Sunil Duttji (who was a Congressman) but since Sanjay would not contest, in no case will we support any other candidate from Lucknow.” He ruled out support to even Dutt’s wife Manyata, if the SP fielded her in Lucknow.

Union minister and AICC spokesperson Ashwini Kumar spoke along the same lines in Delhi. “Our decision not to put up a candidate against him (Sanjay) was driven solely by our respect for his late father (Sunil Dutt). It ends with Sanjay not being there. The Congress will field its candidate in Lucknow,” Kumar told reporters.

Singh said the Congress candidate would be a local leader. He added that the Congress has announced 56 candidates, and will come out with a list of another 10 to 12 candidates.

(With ENS in New Delhi)