BJP Releases Second List for Lok Sabha Elections 2024, with New Faces

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has unveiled its second list of candidates for the forthcoming Lok Sabha Elections 2024, revealing 72 names. This list features prominent leaders such as Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari and Piyush Goyal, former Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal, and former Karnataka CM Basavraj Bommai. The party had previously announced its first list of 195 candidates on March 2.

In Gujarat, which has 26 Lok Sabha seats, the BJP has introduced seven new candidates, replacing five sitting MPs, including junior Railway minister Darshana Jardosh. This move comes after the party had initially announced nominees for 15 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat on March 2.

Moreover, the BJP has declared candidates for six out of the 10 Lok Sabha seats in Haryana, with former Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar contesting from Karnal and former MP Ashok Tanwar from Sirsa. Khattar had resigned as Chief Minister a day before the announcement, as part of a major leadership overhaul in the state.

Additionally, in Dadra and Nagar Haveli, the BJP has fielded sitting Shiv Sena MP Kalaben Delkar for the Lok Sabha constituency, reserved for Scheduled Tribes candidates, in the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.

The BJP’s second list also includes Union ministers Nitin Gadkari, Piyush Goyal, and Anurag Singh Thakur, along with former Chief Ministers like Haryana’s Manohar Lal Khattar. The party has replaced former Union ministers Sadananda Gowda and Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ from their seats.

In Maharashtra, the BJP has introduced new faces in five Lok Sabha seats, replacing its sitting MPs. Smita Wagh will contest from Jalgaon, replacing sitting MP Unmesh Bhaiyyasaheb Patil, while Union Minister Piyush Goyal will replace Gopal Chinayya Shetty in Mumbai North. Anup Dhorte will contest from Akola instead of Sanjay Shamrao Dhotre, and Pankaja Munde will be the candidate for the Beed Lok Sabha seat, replacing her sister Pritam Gopinath Rao Munde.

In Karnataka, the BJP has named five new faces for the Lok Sabha polls. Basavaraj Kyavator will contest from Koppal, replacing two-term MP Sanganna Amarappa Karadi. B Sriramulu will contest from Bellary, replacing Y Devendrappa, while former Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai will contest from Haveri, replacing three-term MP Shivkumar Chanabasappa Udasi. Capt Brijesh Chowta will contest from Dakshina Kannada, replacing Nalin Kumar Kateel, and S Balaraj will contest from Chamarajanagar, replacing six-term MP Srinivasa Prasad.