In a sweeping change, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has dropped 52 sitting MLAs, including seven ministers, from the list of party candidates and inducted 80 new faces for the coming Assembly elections in West Bengal.

"We have prepared a list of 209 party candidates out of a total of 294 nominees for the Left Front. The list does not contain the names of 52 sitting MLAs, including seven ministers, who themselves sought to be relieved," CPI(M) state unit secretary Anil Biswas said, hours before the formal release of the candidates' list.

The ministers, who have been dropped are School Education Minister Kanti Biswas, Higher Education Minister Satyasadahan Chakraborty, Law Minister Nisith Adhikary, Tourism Minister Dinesh Dakua, Mass Education Extension Minister Nandarani Dhal, Non-formal Education Minister Eva De and Library Sciences Minister Nimai Mal.