BJP's poll body holds 2nd meet to finalise Lok Sabha candidates

New Delhi: The BJP’s Central Election Committee on Monday held its second meeting to decide on the party’s candidates for the Lok Sabha elections as its senior leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, went through the list of probables for several states to make final choices.

The states, which were tipped to come up for discission, included Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Haryana.

Ahead of the meeting, Haryana Deputy Chief Minister and Jannayak Janta Party leader Dushyant Chautala held talks with BJP president J P Nadda for distribution of seats among the two allies in the state.

Though a section of Haryana BJP leaders has been opposed to the alliance, the party seems to be weighing its options. The BJP had won all 10 Lok Sabha seats in the state in the previous elections in 2019. The JJP had allied with the party after the assembly polls.

The BJP has joined hands with a number of parties across the country in the run-up to the general elections, expected to be held in April-May, as it eyes a bigger majority.

The Telugu Desam Party is the latest to join the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, and the national party has also been in talks with Odisha’s ruling Biju Janata Dal.

The BJP has so far named its candidates for 195 seats spread across 16 states and two union territories. However, two of them, Bhojpuri singer-actor Pawan Singh and Upendra Rawat, withdrew after their choices sparked controversies.

The party’s brain trust, including Home Minister Amit Shah and Nadda, has held a series of meetings with its leaders from states to draw the lists of probables before the CEC takes a final call.