Though the countdown has begun for the finalisation of bulk of BJP tickets for the lok Sabha polls as “a long list” of the lok Sabha candidates is set to be released on Thursday, the ticket aspirants, including former Cabinet Ministers in the Vajpayee Government as well as greenhorns , have been anxiously camping outside the BJP office to figure out their fate.
“I have met BJP president and he was flooded with requests, at least one thousand people must have met him in the morning itself,” said a potential candidate from Uttar Pradesh requesting anonymity.
There were former Ministers, MPs and MlAs in and around BJP headquarters, 11, Ashoka Road, lingering around for long but almost clueless about the status of their names in the list.
“I am no more worried ..done whatever I could,” said a former State Minister Ram K Verma, seeking ticket from lakhimpur. Similarly, former MlA from Hardoi, Premlata, who was sitting outside BJP office along with her woman friend expecting a lok Sabha ticket from Gazipur, decided to return home rather than continue waiting in anticipation. There are endless talks about two to three separate lists being vetted by the senior leaders to arrive at a consensus on a single lok Sabha candidate.
Top leaders on Wednesday separately grappled with lists of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh which are turning out to be tricky to decide. The Central and state leaders are burning midnight oil to arrive at a consensus on several seats where claimants have recommendations from all top guns of the party. “Recommendations will be of consequence if the candidate’s winnability is proved beyond doubt,” said a central leader saying the party has not lost sight of 272+ in lok Sabha.
In the electorally key state of UP with 80 lok Sabha seats, national general secretary Amit Shah has doggedly sought to plug loopholes in the selection process which has left many veteran party leaders virtually stumped , sources said. The general secretary (Organisation) in each state is playing key role in the selection process, sources said.
“Meetings will continue for long hours but still some seats may remain undecided,” they said. It is understood that the BJP may clear the confusion over the Varanasi and lucknow lok Sabah seat by releasing the names of a major chunk of candidates on Thursday when Central Election Committee of the party meets at 1130 hours. But there could indeed be many slip between the cup and the lip.