Lok Sabha Election 2024: Did you know BJP dropped 33 sitting MPs in first list of candidates?

The BJP displayed a confident image on Saturday by announcing 195 candidates in one go, at least a week to ten days before the Election Commission sets the schedule for the Lok Sabha elections 2024. The party also repeated numerous MPs in important states like Uttar Pradesh. Leading contender for the Lok Sabha election is Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is set to run from Varanasi once more on the BJP's initial list of candidates. Smriti Irani from Amethi, Home Minister Amit Shah from Gandhinagar, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh from Lucknow are among the other well-known figures on the list.

While unveiling the initial list of 195 candidates for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections on Saturday, it replaced up to 33 current MPs with newcomers. Take a look at it: 

In Delhi

The BJP named five candidates for Lok Sabha seats in Delhi, four of them replacement of sitting MPs. The party has dropped two-term MP and former Union minister Harsh Vardhan to field Praveen Khandelwal as its candidate for the Chandani Chowk Lok Sabha constituency.

The BJP nominated Kamaljeet Sehrawat to succeed two-term MP Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma in the West Delhi constituency. The late BJP politician Sushma Swaraj's daughter Bansuri Swaraj was chosen as its candidate for the New Delhi Lok Sabha seat, which is now held by Union minister Meenakshi Lekhi. The BJP dropped Ramesh Bidhuri and nominated Ramvir Singh Bidhuri as its candidate from South Delhi.

In Gujarat

The BJP named its candidates for 15 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat, dropping five sitting MPs. Party nominee Rekhaben Hiteshbhai Choudhary will challenge incumbent MP Prabhatbhai Savabhai Patel for the Banaskantha Lok Sabha constituency. Three-term MP Kirit Solanki was succeeded by Dineshbhai Kidarbhai Makwana on the Ahmedabad West (SC) seat. For Rajkot Lok Sabha seat, the BJP named Union minister Parshottam Rupala as its candidate, dropping sitting MP Mohanbhai Kalyanji Kundariya.

The party named Union Minister Mansukh Mandaviya for the Porbandar seat, currently held by party MP Rameshbhai Lavjibhai Dhaduk. Rajpalsinh Mahendrasinh Jadhav, the BJP nominee, will challenge incumbent MP Ratansinh Magansinh Rathod from the Gujarat Panchmahal constituency.

In Jharkhand

In Jharkhand, BJP fielded Manish Jaiswal from Hazaribagh seat, which is currently held by Jayant Sinha, son of former Union minister Yashwant Sinha. On Lohardaga (ST) seat, three-time MP Sudarshan Bhagat was replaced by Samir Oraon.

In Madhya Pradesh

The BJP included fresh faces in its list of candidates for Madhya Pradesh, replacing seven current MPs. Instead of designating its current MP, Vivek Narayan Shejwalker, for the Gwalior Lok Sabha seat, the party nominated Bharat Singh Kushwaha. Krishnapal Singh Yadav, the current MP from Guna, was removed from office in order to make way for Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia.

BJP nominee Lata Wankhede will join the fray from Sagar Lok Sabha seat, which is currently held by Rajbahadur Singh. Virendra Khatik will contest from Tikamgarh (SC) seat. The BJP has dropped Vidisha MP Ramakant Bhargava to name former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan as its candidate from the seat.

Alok Sharma will be its candidate from the Bhopal seat, currently held by Sadhvi Pragya Singh. From Ratlam (ST) seat, currently held by BJP MP Guman Singh Damor, party nominee Anita Nagar Singh chauhan will contest.

In Assam

The BJP declared their candidates for 11 Assam Lok Sabha seats on the list. Five of the candidates are fresh faces, and the remaining six are currently serving as MPs.

The party has fielded Parimal Suklabaidhya from Silchar Lok Sabha constituency, won by Rajdeep Roy in the 2019 general elections. Party nominee Amar Singh Tisso will run from the Autonomous District (ST) seat, which is presently held by BBJP MP Horen Singh Bey.

Bijuli Kalita Medhi will contest from Gauhati Lok Sabha seat which is held by Queen Oja. Ranjit Dutta will contest from Tezpur Lok Sabh seat which was won by Pallab Lochan Das in 2019. Former MP Rameswar Teli has been replaced by Union Minister Sarbanand Sonowal as the BJP's nominee in the Dibrugarh seat.

In Chhattisgarh

In the list of the BJP candidates for 11 seats in Chhattisgarh, four faces are new. In place of incumbent MP Guharam Ajgalley, the party's nominee Kamlesh Jangde will run in the Janjgir Champa (SC) seat. Senior BJP leader Brijmohan Agrawal, who hails from Raipur, will contest instead of Sunil Kumar Soni, who won the seat in 2019. From the state's Mahasamund seat, BJP nominee Roop Kumari Choudhary will contest the Lok Sabha poll, instead of sitting MP Chunni Lal Sahu. Sitting MP Mohan Mandavi was replaced by BJP nominee Bhojraj Nag on Kanker (ST) seat.