BJP yet to announce names for 12 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh

New Delhi: The BJP is yet to announce candidates for 12 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh, including high-profile constituencies such as Rae Bareli and Mainpuri, represented by Sonia Gandhi and Dimple Yadav, respectively.

Several factors are at play with the BJP looking for new candidates in some constituencies, while at the same time, trying to keep caste equations in its favour, in several other seats. These 12 constituencies also include Balia, Ghazipur, Machhlishahr which borders Prime Minister Narendra's seat Varanasi in eastern Uttar Pradesh, Kaiserganj, Firozabad, Prayagraj, Bhadohi, Deoria, Kaushambi, and Phulpur.

In Kaiserganj, represented by former Wrestling Federation chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the BJP is considering replacing him with one of his family members. Wrestlers, hailing from the Jat community in Haryana, had protested against him in Delhi and hurled several allegations against him. Jats are an influential votebank in Haryana and can impact at least eight of the ten Lok Sabha seats. But Singh is adamant on contesting again from Kaiserganj. He enjoys influence in the neighbouring constituencies as well. Similarly, in Rae Bareli, BJP is opting for a wait and watch strategy to see if someone from the Gandhi family contests from this seat.


In Mainpuri, from where SP chief Akhilesh Yadav's wife Dimple Yadav is contesting, the BJP is still looking for a suitable candidate. Two names are being discussed within party circles-- Jaiveer Singh, minister in the UP government, and Sanghamitra Maurya.

In Ghazipur and Ballia, two bordering constituencies to Varanasi, the BJP is working on balancing the caste equations between Bhumihars and Thakurs. Deceased don Mukhtar Ansari's brother Afzal Ansari is contesting from Ghazipur on SP ticket.