A crucial meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, was held at Bharatiya Janata Party state headquarters here to finalise the list of candidates for the 17 municipal corporations along with chairpersons of nagar palika parishads.

“Winnability is the only criterion for the party and it will select only those candidates who are sure to win the elections,” UP BJP state president Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary told ‘The Pioneer’ before the start of the meeting.

The urban local bodies elections, supposed to be the last major polls in Uttar Pradesh before the crucial 2024 Lok Sabha elections, have been embroiled in a caste row even before they could be conducted.

Elections are to be held in 17 municipal corporations, 199 municipal councils and 517 nagar panchayats. As per the new notification, of these 288 seats are reserved for women, 205 for Other Backward Classes, 110 for Scheduled Caste and two for Scheduled Tribes candidates.

With all the eyes on the mayoral seat of Lucknow, two party heavyweights are vying for this prestigious seat. Wife of a former Union minister is also considered a strong contender for this seat.

Sources claim that present Mayor Sanyukta Bhatia has also thrown her hat in the ring. Industry Minister Nand Gopal Gupta Nandi’s wife has also asked for a ticket for the mayoral election from Prayagraj.

A senior party leader said that the party had shortlisted three names for each seat and the names would be finalised in the meeting.

“The party has many strong candidates and it will be a Herculean task for this committee to shortlist the candidates,” he said.

Party leadership expects a large section of party workers to file nominations as rebel candidates in ward elections. There is intense pressure on the MPs and MLAs from these candidates who want to contest municipal corporation elections.

“Rebels contesting elections is nothing new. Ministers in-charge have been entrusted with the task to minimise the damage likely to be caused by rebels. Party cannot give tickets to all aspiring candidates and workers should realise this,” the leader said.  

The meeting was also attended by Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak, BJP state president Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary and state organisation general secretary Dharampal Singh.