BJP and Congress Gear Up for Lok Sabha Candidate Finalization
BJP’s Candidate Selection Process:
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has commenced its candidate selection process for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Here’s an overview of their strategy and progress:
- Initial Candidate List: The BJP has already unveiled its first list of candidates for 195 Lok Sabha constituencies. This list covers nearly 155 seats secured by the party in the 2019 polls.
- Exclusion of Incumbent MPs: Notably, over 20% of the current BJP MPs have been excluded from the first candidate list.
- Central Election Committee Meeting: The BJP’s central election committee will convene for another round at the party headquarters in Delhi to finalize candidates for the remaining seats. Key party leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, are expected to attend this meeting.
- Geographical Distribution: The first candidate list includes constituencies from various states, with significant representation from Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Gujarat, and Rajasthan, among others.
Congress’s Candidate Selection Process:
The Indian National Congress is also actively engaged in the candidate selection process for the Lok Sabha elections. Here are the highlights of their approach:
- First Candidate List: The Congress has released its initial list of candidates for 39 Lok Sabha constituencies. This list covers states like Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Sikkim, Telangana, and Tripura.
- Central Election Committee Meeting: The Congress’s Central Election Committee will hold its second meeting at the All India Congress Committee headquarters in Delhi to finalize candidates for the remaining seats. Party leaders including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi are expected to be present.
- Focus States: Discussions on Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, and Madhya Pradesh are scheduled for the upcoming meeting.
- Exclusion of West Bengal Discussion: The Congress will not discuss West Bengal in this meeting due to Trinamool Congress’s decision to go solo and announce candidates for all 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state.
Election Commission Update:
The Election Commission of India was anticipated to announce the Sabha election dates around March 14-15. However, the resignation of Election Commissioner Arun Goel has led to potential delays. The government aims to fill the vacancies in the Election Commission by appointing two new election commissioners by March 15. Despite these developments, the Sabha polls are expected to take place in April-May this year.
1. BJP’s Candidate Selection Process:
– The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has commenced its candidate selection process for the upcoming LokSabha elections.
– The party has already released its initial list of candidates covering 195 constituencies.
– The remaining seats are to be finalized through another round of discussions by the central election committee.
– The committee meeting, scheduled for Monday evening, will be attended by key party leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party president JP Nadda, and other notable figures.
– The exclusion of over 20% of current MPs from the list highlights the party’s strategy for rejuvenation and renewal.
2. Congress’s Candidate Selection Process:
– The Congress party has also initiated its candidate selection process, having released its first list covering 39 Lok Sabha constituencies.
– The party’s Central Election Committee (CEC) will convene for a second meeting to finalize candidates for the remaining seats.
– Notable leaders such as party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, and Rahul Gandhi are expected to participate in this meeting.
– Discussions for the second meeting will encompass various states including Karnataka, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, and Madhya Pradesh.
– West Bengal will not be discussed due to Trinamool Congress’s decision to contest independently, leaving Congress to reevaluate its strategy in the state.
3. Election Commission and Poll Schedule:
– The Election Commission of India is expected to announce the dates for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections around March 14-15.
– However, there might be a delay in the announcement due to the resignation of election commissioner Arun Goel, leaving two vacancies in the top body.
– The government aims to fill these vacancies by appointing new election commissioners by March 15.
– Despite potential delays, the Sabha polls are anticipated to occur in April-May 2024.
These developments signify the intense preparations and strategic maneuvering by both the BJP and Congress as they gear up for the crucial Lok Sabha elections, which will shape the political landscape of India for the coming years.