The BJP has finalised its candidate list for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly election and said it will contest the polls in alliance with the Apna Dal and Nishad Party. The announcement was made by its national president JP Nadda, following the conclusion of a BJP central election committee (CEC) meeting. Nadda said detailed discussions regarding seat-sharing for the upcoming polls were held with the two parties during the past few days.
Last week, the BJP had released its first list of 107 candidates for the first and second phase of the upcoming assembly polls. Besides, it said Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath will contest from Gorakhpur. Elections for the 403 Assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh will be held in seven phases starting February 10. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.
Apna Dal names Muslim candidate
BJP ally Apna Dal (S) named Congress veteran Noor Bano’s UK-educated grandson Haider Ali Khan as its candidate for the Suar assembly seat in UP, making him the first Muslim to be fielded by any constituent of the saffron camp in the state since 2014.
Congress had declared 36 year-old Haider as its candidate for the seat on January 13, only for him to spurn the offer and cross over to Anupriya Patel-led Apna Dal (S). He is likely to be up against jailed Rampur MP Azam Khan’s son Abdullah Azam, who is tipped to get the Samajwadi Party ticket.
BSP list has 23 Muslims
The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) announced 51 candidates for the second phase of UP elections – 23 of them Muslims. With this, the party has fielded 39 Muslim candidates, out of 109 it has fielded for the first two phases. Political observers feel that this is an attempt by the BSP to make the field competitive in the region, which has a strong presence of the minority community. The list also has 13 OBCs, 10 Dalits and five from upper castes.
Akhilesh to contest from Karhal
Former UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav will contest his first-ever assembly electionfrom Karhal seat in Mainpuri district. The decision was taken after discussions with Samajwadi Party leaders.
The SP chief ’s decision to take the plunge comes close on the heels of BJP nominating CM Yogi Adityanath to contest his first assembly elections from Gorakhpur (Urban) seat and fielding deputy CM Keshav Prasad Mauryafrom Sirathu. Political observers feel the move is a bid to blunt any attack from BJP over Akhilesh not contesting elections.
BJP to contest 65 Punjab seats, allies Capt 37, Dhindsa 15
BJP has worked out a seat-sharing deal with its Punjab allies, keeping the lion’s share of the seats for itself. It will contest from 65 constituencies, while its allies - former CM Captain Amarinder Singh’s Punjab Lok Congress and S S Dhindsa’s faction of Akali Dal, SAD (Sanyukt), will contest from 37 and 15 respectively, BJP chief said.
It is the first time in over two decades BJP is playing the role of senior partner in an alliance in Punjab. It had earlier played second fiddle to the Akalis, leading to considerable heartburn among its cadres who used to argue subservience to Badals fettered the growth of the saffron outfit in the state. Nadda announced the seat-sharing agreement at a press conference at the BJP headquarters in the presence of allies Amarinder and Dhindsa.
