BJP to name half of candidates before LS poll timetable

The BJP is set to announce its first list of candidates soon and the party may announce around half of its candidates before the announcement of 2024 poll schedule, sources said.

The BJP on Thursday held first meeting of its central clection committee, atteneded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief JP Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

Prior to the meeting, Prime Modi held meeting with Nadda and Shah at his official residence.


In the run up-to this meeting, Nadda along with Shah held meetings with BJP's various state units and also its Chief Ministers for several days.

Several Chief Ministers including Yogi Adityanath from Uttar Pradesh, Pushkar Dhami from Uttarakhand, Mohan Yadav from Madhya Pradesh, and Bhajan Lal Sharma from Rajasthan reached BJP headquarters on Thursday to particpate in the meeting.

After this meeting in a day or two the BJP is likely to announce its first list of candidates which could be up to 150 candidates including Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Varanasi.

Sources said the party is looking to announce at least half of its candidates before the announcement of poll schedule by the Election Commission.

Besides Prime Minister the other names which could be announced in coming days by are of Shah, Rajnath Singh and Nitin Gadkari in coming days.

Similarly, Smriti Irani from Amethi, Anurag Thakur from Hamirpur, Kiren Rijiju Arunachal West and Pralhad Joshi from Dharwad could also be announced in coming days.

The Lok Sabha seats of Union Ministers such as Dharmendra Pradhan, Bhupender Yadav, Jyotiraditya Scindia who are members from Rajya Sabha likely have also been finalised.

Pradhan is likely to contest from Sambalpur in Odisha, Yadav can contest from one of the Lok Sabha seats of either Haryana or Rajasthan and Scindia could contest from Gwalior or Guna in Madhya Pradesh.