News Brief
Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Home Minister Amit Shah. (Representative image)
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) could unveil its first list of candidates for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections today (1 March).
The list, comprising around 100 names, will feature heavyweights like Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, among others.
The decision comes after marathon overnight meetings held in Delhi, including a session led by the Prime Minister at his residence, which lasted from 11 pm Thursday (29 February) to 3.15 am Friday (1 March).
As per reports by NDTV, the party's selection strategy revolves around gathering feedback on incumbent Members of Parliament (MPs) and implementing reshuffles to counteract any potential anti-incumbency sentiments.
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Additionally, the BJP intends to announce a significant portion of its candidates well in advance of the official poll dates, in a move to exert pressure on its main political adversary, the Congress-led INDI Alliance, which is still finalising seat-sharing arrangements.
Moreover, as per reports there is also attention given to making inroads in traditionally less dominant regions, such as Kerala and Telangana.
While the final list is expected to be announced soon, speculations suggest that Prime Minister Modi will likely contest from Varanasi, in Uttar Pradesh.
Similarly, Home Minister Shah is expected to contest from Gandhinagar in Gujarat.
Other prominent leaders like Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia may contest from Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) and Guna-Shivpuri (Madhya Pradesh) respectively.