BJP candidate lists for Maha, Haryana expected next week
NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is expected to release its first list of candidates for the Maharashtra and Haryana assembly elections, scheduled for October 21, in the auspicious period of Navaratras starting on September 29.
The Election Commission on Saturday announced the schedule for the assembly polls in these two states, fixing October 4 as the last date for filing nomination; the results will be out on October 24.
“The meeting of the central election committee of the BJP is expected on September 29 after Prime Minister Narendra Modi returns from his US visit,” a national office-bearer of the BJP said on the condition of anonymity.
The BJP’s election committee will meet during the period of Navaratras — between September 29 and October 7. The fortnight preceding Navratras is considered inauspicious by some sections of Hindus, and no important work is undertaken during this period.
“The screening of candidates for both the states is almost complete, and we are now waiting for the party high command to call the meeting of the central election committee to finalise the list,” a BJP leader from Haryana said.
“Even in Maharashtra, we are ready with a panel of candidates for the seats that we intend to contest. We hope to announce these candidates soon,” a party functionary from Maharashtra said.
The BJP got a chief minister both in Maharashtra and Haryana for the first time in 2014. Maharashtra has 288 assembly seats, of which the BJP won 122 and the Sena 63 in the 2014 state polls, which they fought separately. The party got a majority in Haryana by winning 47 out of 90 assembly seats .
The BJP, which tied up with the Shiv Sena under a post-poll deal in 2014, is now discussing a seat sharing formula with its partner for the October polls. The saffron party will go it solo in Haryana.