BJP releases third list for UP polls

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday released the third list of candidates for the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections.

The BJP list had names of defectors from other parties, including former Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader Swami Prasad Maurya, who is contesting from Padrauna assembly seat in Kushinagar district.

BJP's senior leader in Uttar Pradesh Surya Pratap Shahi has been fielded from Pathardeva constituency in Deoria district.

With the third list of 67 candidates, the saffron party has so far announced a total of 371 candidates out of 403. Now, 32 seats are left, some of which will go to BJP's alliance partners Apna Dal and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP).

BJP National Secretary Arun Singh, who announced the list, said the party has tried to give representation to every section of people in its list.

On being asked why there is not even a single Muslim candidate in BJP's list, Singh said the party would field one as soon as it finds a "suitable candidate".

"We will give ticket to Muslims whenever we find a suitable candidate," he said.

To a question of many "star-kids" in the BJP list though the party openly criticises nepotism, Arun Singh said there is nothing wrong if a family member of a leader gets ticket on the basis of their work.

"If a person has been working for the party for several years, he can ask for a ticket even if he/she is a family member of an existing leader," Singh said.