BJP retains nearly 80% of sitting MPs in first list

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party has retained nearly 80% MPs in the first list of 184 candidates, spread over 20 states, avoiding a major shake-up. While all five candidates announced for Chhattisgarh are new, Assam and Uttar Pradesh have also seen some changes.

The first list has 100 seats currently held by BJP and the party has replaced 21, giving tickets to the remaining 79 MPs.

Retaining majority of the MPs may be an indication that the BJP does not fear anti-incumbency. It could also be to avoid rebel candidates in the fray. The party brass has maintained that the 2019 contest too is also being fought in the name of Narendra Modi and candidates are secondary.

The BJP list has only 22 women candidates, unlike BJD and Trinamool, which have fielded more than 33% women. The party has also given ticket to controversial MPs. Nihal Chand (Ganganagar-Rajasthan) was accused in a rape case, while Sakshi Maharaj (Unnao), Union minister Ananth Kumar Hegde (Kannada North) and Pratap Simha (Mysore) have been in the news for controversial remarks.

Four of the MPs who do not figure in the first list are above 75 years. They include LK Advani (Gandhinagar), Bijoya Chakravarti (Guwahati), BC Khanduri (Garhwal) and Bhagat Singh Koshiyari (Udham Singh Nagar). In Uttar Pradesh, BJP has changed MPs in four seats reserved for Scheduled Castes and two in the general category. Union minister Krishna Raj, a Jatav, has been denied ticket in Shahjahanpur and former minister of state for HRD Ram Shankar Katheria has been replaced by SPS Baghel in Agra. Anshul Verma has been replaced by Jai Prakash Rawat in Hardoi (SC) and Anju Bala by Ashok Rawat in Misrikh reserved seat. In Sambhal, BJP has replaced Satyapal Singh with Parmeshwarlal Saini and Babulal Chaudhary with Raj Kumar Chaher in Fatehpur Sikri.

Of the eight candidates BJP announced for Assam, only two have been retained. Other than Guwahati, where Queen Ojha will be in the fray in place of Chakravarthi, Dilip Saikia has replaced Ramen Deka in Mangaldoi. Tapan Gogoi will contest in place of Kamakhya Prasad Tasa. BJP has replaced candidates in Silchar, Autonomous District (ST) and Karimganj, the three seats it lost, as well.

As announced by party general secretary in-charge of Chhattisgarh, BJP will field new candidates in all 11 constituencies. All five names announced so far are new.

In Maharashtra, Dilip Gandhi who won the Ahmednagar seat in 2014 has been replaced by Sujay Vikhe Patil who defected from the Congress recently and Sunil Gaekwad, who represents the Latur reserved seat, has been replaced by Sudhakar Bhalerao Shrungare. In Rajasthan, the BJP has fielded Bhagirath Chaudhary and in Jhunjhunu, it has replaced Santosh Ahlawat with Narendra Khinchal, an MLA.

Among the seats that BJP lost in 2014 and has decided to replace the losing candidate, most are from West Bengal and Karnataka. In West Bengal, there are 24 new candidates out of the total 28. Asansol MP and Union minister Babul Supriyo has been retained and will fight against Moon Sen of Trinamool.