The Bharatiya Janata Party-BJP held an extensive overnight meeting and is likely to revel potential candidates for the 2024 Lok Sabha election. Around 100 names, including stalwarts like Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, were discussed in the session that extended until the early hours of Friday.
The meeting’s focus was on assessing the performance of incumbent MPs and gathering feedback from grassroots workers to strategically reposition candidates and mitigate anti-incumbency sentiments. Special attention was given to States in the Hindi heartland, such as Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, and Gujarat, as well as States like Kerala and Telangana, where the BJP aims to strengthen its presence.
Speculation arose regarding Prime Minister Modi’s potential bid for re-election from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, a seat he has dominated since 2014. The possibility of Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra contesting against him added to the anticipation. However, the potential candidacy of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was ruled out due to his realignment with the BJP-led coalition.
In Gujarat’s Gandhinagar, Home Minister Amit Shah’s potential candidacy drew attention, continuing the BJP’s stronghold in the region since 1989. The anticipated candidacies of other key figures like Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia from Lucknow and Guna-Shivpuri in Madhya Pradesh, respectively, further underscored the party’s strategic planning.
Former Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal’s expected candidacy from Assam’s Dibrugarh and the BJP’s plans to contest 11 seats in Assam, leaving three for allies like the Asom Gana Parishad and United People’s Party Liberal, were also discussed.
Notably, there were surprises regarding candidate selection, with reports suggesting that fiery Bhopal MP Pragya Thakur might not defend her seat, potentially making way for former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s return to the electoral fray.
The meeting delved into alliance dynamics, particularly in Uttar Pradesh, where discussions centred on leaving six seats for regional allies like the Apna Dal and Rashtriya Lok Dal.
With plans to announce at least 50 per cent of its candidates by March 10, the BJP’s meticulous approach underscores its determination to ensure a formidable presence in the upcoming election, mirroring its strategy in the 2019 polls.
