New Delhi, June. 14: It is learned that the BJP has told at least 18 Rajya Sabha MPs, including 10 Union Ministers and some MLAs, to prepare to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Sources said that the Rajya Sabha MPs and ministers of the Narendra Modi cabinet have been asked to work on five Lok Sabha constituencies and select three seats for which they want to contest on party tickets.
The BJP is reportedly looking to field a strong team of candidates for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The party is also considering fielding some of its top leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, from different constituencies.
The 2024 Lok Sabha elections are scheduled to be held in April-May next year. The BJP is hoping to retain power at the Centre and is confident of winning a majority of seats in the elections.
On Tuesday, the names of some cabinet ministers and some MPs continued to do the rounds in the media and political circles. It is learned that the party has recently held extensive discussions to field some Union Ministers who are Rajya Sabha MPs for the Lok Sabha elections. Candidate selection will be based on their performance and their ability to woo voters in 2024 elections.
Despite several attempts, none of the leaders’ names could be elicited, BJP sources confirmed, adding that the party had verbally asked them in a recent meeting to prepare to contest the next Lok Sabha polls. If sources are to be believed, the prominent names of Union Finance Minister Nirmal Sitharaman, Ministers Piyush Goyal, Bhupendra Yadav, Dharmendra Pradhan, Mansukh Mandavia, Hardeep Singh Puri, S Jaishankar, Purushottam Rupala and other Union Ministers are doing the rounds. All of them are completing their second term in the Rajya Sabha.
Jaishankar may contest Lok Sabha elections from New Delhi constituency and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is likely to contest from Sambalpur or Dhenkanal constituency in Odisha. Nirmala Sitharaman is likely to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Madurai and Hardeep Puri, who is completing his second Rajya Sabha term next year, is rumored to contest from Amritsar or any Sikh-dominated Lok Sabha constituency.
BJP chief JP Nadda’s name is also being heard. He may contest Lok Sabha elections from Mandi constituency and another Union Minister and Prime Minister Modi’s aide Piyush Goyal is likely to contest from Chandni Chowk or Pune Lok Sabha constituency. It is learned that Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has been asked to choose a Lok Sabha seat from Gujarat.
Names of Rajya Sabha MPs including Dr. K. Laxman (National President of BJP OBC Morcha), Sushil Kumar Modi (former Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar) are being heard. Dr. K. Laxman is likely to contest from Chevella constituency in Telangana, while Sushil Kumar Modi will contest from Bhagalpur constituency.
AP Abdullakutty, former MP, may contest from Lakshadweep. But the name of newly inducted Javeer Shergill from Anandpur Sahib Ludhiana and Sunil Jakhar from Gurdaspur could be in the fray. Former Odisha MP Baijayant Jai Panda’s name is also in discussion.
BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra’s name is in the news as a possible candidate for BJP Karnataka co-in-charge DK Aruna from Odisha’s Puri and Mehbubnagar. Raja Singh of Telangana’s Goshamahal, Coimbatore MLA Vanathi Srinivasan (BJP Mahila Morcha National President) and many other party MLAs are also being discussed.
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