BJP to balance caste equation, gender in Bihar polls candidate list

New Delhi: The Central Election Committee of the BJP met in Delhi on Sunday evening to finalise the tickets for the first list of party candidates. As per the arrangement, the BJP is going to contest 101 of the 243 seats in Bihar. The meeting was attended by PM Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah, defence minister Rajnath Singh, BJP national president JP Nadda, BJP general secretary (organisation) BL Santhosh, other members of the CEC and senior party leaders from Bihar.

Before the CEC meeting, several rounds of meetings took place since Saturday among the BJP leaders to shortlist names to be presented before the CEC for final approval. BJP Bihar leaders will leave for Patna late Sunday evening or early Monday morning to make the announcement on seat sharing. Sources told ET that the party is not planning to deny tickets to most of the sitting MLAs as in 2020 several new faces were introduced. The party feels that there is no such anti-incumbency against the first-time MLAs nor against the government. Therefore, unlike other states, where BJP denies tickets to an average 30% of the MLAs, Bihar could be an exception. The criteria for the candidate selection is, of course, winnability and the party wants to achieve this through a balance of caste and social equation in the ticket distribution. Several women candidates could also get a chance to contest the election this time.

In denying tickets to MLAs, age will be an important factor and the party could replace some veteran leaders with young faces. However, party sources told ET that a veteran leader could get a chance in case there is no other winnable face in the constituency.