The BJP’s Cental Election Committee (CEC) is expected to meet on February 27 to finalise the first list of its lok Sabha candidates. The CEC could not meet on the account of pressing campaign engagements of Gujarat Chief Minister and BJP’s PM candidate Narendra Modi who is busy addressing public rallies all over the country hroughout the month.
According to sources, the list of all major States could still be delayed till Holi (March 17). All the senior leaders including lK Advani , Murli Manohar Joshi and Nitin Gadkari are expected to throw their hats in the election ring. Asked as when would he start his campaign, Advani on Saturday said, “It is already on”. Sources said the lists of few States have been delayed to prevent an anticipated early rebellion of candidates denied party tickets. This apart, BJP wants to weigh rival candidates announced by major parties like Congress, SP and the BSP.
The high powered 19 member BJP CEC is headed by Party president Rajnath Singh and includes Atal Bihari Vajpayee, lK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi , M Venkaiah Naidu, Nitin Gadkari, Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitlely , Narendra Modi, Ananth Kumar, Thawarchand Gehlot, Ramlal Ji, Gopi Nath Munde, Jual Oram1, Sayed Shahnawaz Hussain,Vinay Katiyar, JP Nadda, Dr Harsh Vardhan and Saroj Pandey, as it members. According to sources, BJP’s UP unit is facing “the maximum pressure” from ticket aspirants with party general secretary Amit Shah flooded with ticket seekers.