The Aryavarth Express
Agency(New Delhi): In a significant move ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has publicized its second batch of candidates, announcing 72 names on Wednesday. This list is notable for its inclusion of three past Chief Ministers – Manohar Lal Khattar of Haryana, Trivendra Singh Rawat of Uttarakhand, and Basvaraj Bommai of Karnataka – along with four incumbent Union Ministers: Nitin Gadkari, Anurag Thakur, Piyush Goyal, and Pralhad Joshi.
Manohar Lal Khattar, stepping down as the Chief Minister of Haryana just a day prior, has been nominated to represent the party from the Karnal constituency. Meanwhile, Union Minister Anurag Thakur is set to run from Himachal Pradesh’s Hamirpur, with Suresh Kashyap eyeing the Shimla seat. Karnataka’s political scene will see Union Minister Pralhad Joshi vying for Dharwad, Tejaswi Surya for Bangalore South, Basvaraj Bommai for Haveri, and PC Mohan for Bangalore Central.
In Maharashtra, the BJP has placed its bets on Union Minister Nitin Gadkari for Nagpur and Piyush Goyal for Mumbai North, with Pankja Munde running in Beed. Uttarakhand’s representation includes former Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat for Haridwar and the BJP’s National Chief Spokesperson, Anil Baluni, for Garhwal.
Delhi’s East constituency will see Harsh Malhotra stepping into the fray, taking over the baton from former cricketer Gautam Gambhir, while Yogendra Chandolia will contend for North West Delhi. Furthermore, Kalaben Delkar is set to contest from Dadar and Nagar Haveli.
Gujarat’s electoral battle will witness Hashmukhbhai Somabhai Patel for Ahmedabad East among other notable candidates, totaling seven Lok Sabha seats from the state. Haryana’s lineup includes six candidates like Banto Kataria for Ambala and Ashok Tanwar for Sirsa.
The party has also disclosed its candidates for additional seats across India, including Raghvendra for Shimoga and V Sommana for Tumkur in Karnataka, alongside representatives in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, and Tripura.
This announcement follows the BJP’s initial list of 195 candidates released on Saturday, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi confirmed to seek re-election from Varanasi. The Congress party, in contrast, has named contenders for 82 constituencies so far. The BJP, leading the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), aims to replicate its previous success against the Congress in the forthcoming elections scheduled for April-May this year.