BJP’s core committee meets to finalise second candidate list
Following the release of the initial candidate list for 195 Lok Sabha seats last week, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s central committee convened another crucial meeting of the election core committee on Wednesday. Senior Union Minister Amit Shah and party chief Jagat Prakash Nadda were present at this gathering. Notably, the meeting focused on discussing potential candidates from significant states that were not included in the first list- Odisha, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu.
The meeting, held at the party headquarters, saw the participation of state presidents, election-in-charges, and core committee members from the respective states. In Tamil Nadu, the state core committee, led by BJP State President K Annamalai, assessed probable candidates in a meeting attended by senior leaders including Vanathi Srinivasan, Nainar Nagenthiran, AP Muruganandam, and Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Tamil Nadu in the coming week, which has 39 Lok Sabha seats. During the erstwhile general elections in 2019, BJP got only 3.66 per cent vote share in the state, while its other alliance partners, AIADMK gained 19.39 per cent vote share, PMK 5.36 per cent, and DMDK 2.16 per cent vote share.
In Odisha, no final decision was reached regarding the anticipated alliance between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the state’s ruling party, Biju Janata Dal (BJD). The state, heading for assembly elections, has 147 assembly and 21 Lok Sabha seats. The core committee meeting in Odisha included BJP president Manmohan Samal and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, among others.
In Haryana, attention is on the JJP-BJP seat-sharing arrangement. Both parties have stated that consultations are underway, with the JJP establishing an independent committee to coordinate with the NDA leadership on the alliance for the Lok Sabha polls. Haryana, with 10 Lok Sabha seats, witnessed BJP winning seven seats, Congress securing one seat from Rohtak, and Haryana’s Indian National Lok Dal, led by Om Prakash Chautala, winning two seats - Sirsa and Hisar.
Himachal Pradesh holds significant importance as a key battleground for major political parties such as the BJP and Congress. Despite having a limited number of Lok Sabha seats, the state consistently impacts national trends and has a historical tendency to experience fluctuations in voter sentiment. Himachal Pradesh comprises just four Lok Sabha constituencies, with one seat reserved for SC candidates. In both the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha Elections, the BJP emerged victorious in all four seats, with Anurag Thakur emerging as a prominent figure for the party.
While, in Karnataka, former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa confirmed that the party’s high command will finalise the candidate list for all 28 Lok Sabha seats in the state.
General Secretary (Organisation) B. L. Santhosh and other General Secretaries, Joint General Secretary Shiv Prakash General Secretaries- Arun Singh, Dushyant Gautam, Tarun Chugh, Vinod Tawde, were present among others.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is embarking on a 10-day tour across 12 states and union territories, covering Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan, and Delhi, in preparation for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
The first candidate list of BJP highlights diversity and inclusion, featuring 28 women, 47 leaders under the age of 50, and 57 members from the OBC community. This strategic approach aims to resonate with a broader voter base and showcase the party’s commitment to representation. With the Election Commission expected to announce the poll schedule later this month, the BJP’s meticulously crafted candidate list positions the party for a formidable campaign.
