BJP unveils 1st list of 195 candidates for upcoming Lok Sabha polls
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New Delhi: The BJP has announced its initial list of 195 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in 2024.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to contest from Varanasi, reaffirming his presence in the political arena. Notable names on the list include Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and former Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia.
Jyotiraditya Scindia, who made a significant move from Congress to BJP, will be contesting from Guna, while Shivraj Chouhan, the former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, is fielded once again from Vidisha.
Among the prominent candidates, Smriti Irani is set to battle for Amethi, where she secured a surprising victory against Rahul Gandhi in 2019. The list reflects a careful selection process, with 34 ministers from the Centre and States, along with two former Chief Ministers, included.
The candidate announcement follows an extensive meeting of the BJP's central election committee (CEC) held in the early hours of Friday. Present at the meeting were Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP National President JP Nadda, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and other key party figures.
The BJP aims to maintain its strong presence in the Lok Sabha, with the upcoming polls scheduled for April-May 2024. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, PM Modi secured a decisive victory in Varanasi, and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won a total of 303 seats, establishing a significant majority. The party is strategically positioning candidates, considering factors such as age, gender, and caste representation, with an emphasis on inclusivity in the candidate selection process.
"Union Minister for Law and Justice Kiran Rijiju will contest from Arunachal West, BJP MP Bishnu Pada Ray will contest from Andaman & Nicobar, BJP MP Tapir Gao will contest from Arunachal East, and Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal will contest from Dibrugarh," said BJP National General Secretary Vinod Tawde.
"The names of 195 candidates have been finalised. The list includes 47 youth candidates, 28 women candidates, 27 Scheduled Caste (SC) candidates, 18 Scheduled Tribes (ST) candidates, and 57 OBC/Backward Class candidates. The party has announced the list keeping all communities in focus," he added.
According to the list, BJP leader Manoj Tiwari will contest from North-East Delhi. Late leader Sushma Swaraj's daughter Bansuri Swara will contest from New Delhi. Kamaljeet Sehrawat will contest from West Delhi and Ramvir Singh Bidhuri from South Delhi.
The release of the candidate list signals the beginning of an intense election season, and the BJP is gearing up to defend its stronghold and secure a mandate in the upcoming parliamentary elections.