UP Election 2022: BJP likely to release first list of candidates around Makar Sankranti
The names for 182 seats in the initial three phases, which will cover western UP, Rohilkhand, Braj and the Yadav-dominated belt of Etawah, Mainpuri and Bundelkhand were discussed in an important meeting of the state’s core group leaders with the central leadership at the party headquarters on Tuesday.
FollowThe ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is likely to announce its first list of candidates for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls around Makar Sankranti (January 14), even as BSP supremo Mayawati is yet to reveal her cards. The names for 182 seats in the initial three phases, which will cover western UP, Rohilkhand, Braj and the Yadav-dominated belt of Etawah, Mainpuri and Bundelkhand were discussed in an important meeting of the state’s core group leaders with the central leadership at the party headquarters on Tuesday.
The names of the remaining seats are also expected to be announced before January 20. Member of the election committee MP Rajveer Singh Raju Bhaiya told the media after the meeting that the list of first and second phase will come on January 14-15.
BJP leaders on Thursday said that the Central Election Committee (CEC) would give its final stamp of approval to the list of candidates contesting the Assembly polls in a meeting in Delhi on January 16, only after which it will be released. They were also waiting for the auspicious date of January 14 — Makar Sankranti — when the Hindu calendar begins, marking the start of “good days”.
Though the BJP wants to announce a majority of candidates as soon as possible, there are some seats on which it needs to tread cautiously, especially the ones where key rival Samajwadi Party has an upper hand.
Meanwhile, the BSP is expected to field quite a few Muslims, especially in segments where the community’s hold is strong. This will only work to the advantage of the BJP as the Opposition, including its chief rival Samajwadi Party, the Congress and the AIMIM, is also eyeing this crucial vote bloc.
The BSP has “finalised” names on the majority of seats and also “intimated the selected candidates”, sources said.
The BSP has not allied with any party and is contesting all 403 seats alone. With a “declining” vote share projection, it is projected to win eight to 16 seats only. However, with a dedicated vote share, it has the potential to spoil the chances of many.
