The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is expected to release its first list of candidates for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections over the weekend. The decision follows a marathon meeting of the party’s central election committee, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The first list is anticipated to include high-profile names seeking re-election, including PM Modi himself, and candidates for seats perceived as challenging. The early announcement aims to provide sufficient time for nominees to campaign and projects the BJP as a disciplined party. The strategy was successful in Madhya Pradesh, where the BJP announced candidates for tough seats three months before the polls. The late-night central election committee meeting discussed 50 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh, and the BJP is expected to announce candidates for approximately half of them. Union Minister Jitender Singh is reportedly set to contest from his current Udhampur seat, and discussions on candidates for all 29 seats in Madhya Pradesh were held. Former cricketer Gautam Gambhir has requested to be relieved from political duties, indicating that someone else may be fielded from the East Delhi Lok Sabha constituency.
