Lok Sabha Election 2024: BJP releases 72 names in second list; check details

The newly announced candidates include several notable figures, with former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat contesting from Haridwar, former Haryana Chief Minister ML Khattar fielded from Karnal, and Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari and Piyush Goyal contesting from Nagpur and Mumbai North, respectively.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday (March 13) made significant strides in its preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections by releasing its second list of candidates, comprising 72 names. The announcement came after the party's Central Election Committee (CEC) convened its second meeting in the national capital on Monday to finalize the candidates.

Having previously released the first list of 195 candidates earlier in the month, the addition of 72 more names brings the BJP's total candidate count to 267 for the impending polls. This move underscores the party's proactive stance in readiness for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, pending the official schedule announcement.

The newly announced candidates include several notable figures, with former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat contesting from Haridwar, former Haryana Chief Minister ML Khattar fielded from Karnal, and Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari and Piyush Goyal contesting from Nagpur and Mumbai North, respectively.

Additionally, Union Minister Anurag Thakur is set to contest from Himachal Pradesh's Hamirpur, among other prominent candidates across various constituencies.

Monday's CEC meeting witnessed the careful scrutiny of potential candidates by senior party leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reflecting meticulous deliberations in candidate selection.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP national president JP Nadda engaged in extensive discussions with state leaders beforehand to compile a comprehensive roster of candidates for consideration.

Despite the candidate selection process, the BJP encountered some setbacks, with two candidates from its initial list of 195 withdrawing their nominations. Bhojpuri musician Pawan Singh withdrew from Bengal's Asansol constituency due to controversy surrounding his past music content, while Upendra Rawat withdrew from Uttar Pradesh's Barabanki constituency following the emergence of a contentious video.