- By Kamal Kumar
- Sat, 02 Mar 2024 07:08 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
BJP Lok Sabha Candidates First List: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is expected to release its first list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections anytime soon. The final list of candidates for 150 seats was finalised during a marathon Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The meeting, which lasted for over five hours, saw intense deliberations on the names of candidates for each of the 150 seats across 16 states, according to Dainik Jagran.
However, the list excludes candidates for constituencies in states such as Bihar, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh, where the BJP is still negotiating seat-sharing agreements with its National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners.
150 Candidates Approved in CEC Meeting
The meeting discussed candidates for more than 250 seats in 16 states and approved the names of approximately 150. These names are likely to be announced soon.
Former Rajya Sabha MPs to Contest Lok Sabha Seats
Several ministers and MPs who were not re-nominated for the Rajya Sabha elections, including Mansukh Mandaviya, Bhupendra Yadav, Rajiv Chandrasekhar, Dharmendra Pradhan, and Purushottam Rupala, will be given Lok Sabha tickets from their respective states, revealed a source.
Who Will Get Tickets in the First List?
The first list is expected to include many names that did not appear in the Rajya Sabha candidate list. It may also include some MLAs the party aims to bring to national politics, with reports suggesting potential candidates from Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and other states.
Senior leaders like Prime Minister Modi, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, and Home Minister Amit Shah are also likely to be included in the first list, possibly contesting from their existing seats. Sources suggest that PM Modi might seek re-election from Varanasi.
Sitting MPs Face Potential Ouster
Reports from inside the meeting indicate that many MPs could be denied tickets this year due to performance deemed unsatisfactory by senior leaders. The first list is also expected to include candidates for "difficult seats," where the party lost in 2019. An early announcement for these seats would allow candidates extra preparation time.
The BJP has devised a strategy for 160 such seats, assigning responsibility to senior leaders and Union ministers. With candidates already chosen for half the seats in Uttar Pradesh, this raises the possibility that many current MPs might not be re-nominated. A senior party official revealed that the leadership paid close attention to caste and social considerations when selecting candidates.