BJP Set to Announce Candidates for 8 Seats Today, Including Last-Minute Decisions for 3 Seats, Including Junagadh-Bhavnagar

Currently, both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress are engaged in the process of finalizing candidates for the Lok Sabha elections in Delhi. Earlier, the BJP had announced the names of 195 candidates, including 15 from Gujarat, in its initial list. Conversely, the first list of the Congress comprised 39 candidates, but no candidates were announced from Gujarat. 

Consequently, Congress is now set to reveal its candidates from Gujarat to bridge the gap. On the other hand, BJP is also considering the names of 11 more candidates. Today, BJP is expected to unveil candidates for 8 out of the remaining 11 Lok Sabha seats. The names for the remaining 3 seats, including Junagadh and Bhavnagar, will be announced at the last moment. From these 11 seats, 4 to 5 seats may witness repetition of candidates from previous elections.

Modi Attends BJP’s CEC Meeting Until Late Night

The Bharatiya Janata Party’s Central Election Committee (CEC) convened for its second meeting on Monday, continuing late into the night with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, and J.P. Nadda among the attendees. Gujarat was represented by C.R. Patil and Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel during the session.

Congress Leaders Gear Up for Lok Sabha Elections in Gujarat

While closely monitoring the Lok Sabha election dynamics alongside the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Congress is actively preparing for electoral battles in Delhi. In line with this, Gujarat’s former Congress chief, Jagdish Thakor, has been persuaded to contest the Lok Sabha elections. Congress is orchestrating the participation of prominent leaders in the electoral arena, following Thakor’s acceptance, which has instigated a competitive environment within the party to nominate more key leaders for the electoral fray. 

Amidst these developments, preparations are underway in Porbandar, where the former Member of Parliament and ex-Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya is being readied for the electoral battle. In light of Congress’s defeat in the 2022 Assembly elections, Jagdish Thakor, the former Pradesh Congress Committee chief, has been persuaded to contest the Lok Sabha elections, assuming responsibility as the Pradesh Congress chief. Meanwhile, Chintan Mehta, former MLA from Rajkot, has been given the responsibility of the Pradesh Congress chief after Shaktisinh Gohil. 

Thakor’s current health condition and previous hospitalization have been taken into account in refraining him from contesting the elections. Congress has reached out to Lalit Vasoya, former MLA and district Congress president from Rajkot, to prepare him for the electoral battlefield. Chandanji Thakor, the Congress district president from Banaskantha, is also being readied to contest the elections. Similarly, preparations are underway for Anand seat, where the Congress is considering Anant Patel, and for Bharatsinh Solanki from Valsad. 

Himanshu Patel, who contested the previous Vidhan Sabha elections from Gandhinagar, is set to contest from there again. While local candidates are already in the fray, Himanshu Patel’s increased activity could lead to his nomination for the elections. Furthermore, former MP Virji Thummar from Amreli or his daughter, the current Pradesh Mahila Congress chief, are being considered for candidacy, intensifying Congress’s electoral preparations in Gujarat.