BJP’S FIRST LIST FOR 2019 POLLS may HAVE TOP LEADERS

The list may also have the names of some ‘newly’ inducted leaders.

The first list of Bharatiya Janata Party candidates for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, which is likely to be released by the end of this month, may have the names of some top leaders as well as a few leaders who had joined the party after the NDA came to power in 2014 and were assured a party ticket.

The Election Commission is likely to announce the dates for the Lok Sabha polls in the first week of March, immediately after which the model code of conduct will come into effect.

“In the first list, that will be released by the end of February, only those names will appear who are ‘certain’ to get party tickets, including some top leaders, and a few newly inducted leaders, who have joined the party post 2014 and who need to assure their workers and voters that they are contesting the elections,” a senior party functionary said.

Meanwhile, a source in the party claimed that around 40 MPS, most of whom had joined the party before or on the eve of the 2014 elections, are thinking of switching their loyalties due to multiple reasons. According to him, 80-100 sitting MPS are likely to be denied tickets, more than 15 of whom are those who have crossed the 75-year age cut-off mark.

“We are expecting many of the recent recruits to switch their loyalties. Some of them know that they will not get the ticket because of their age while some others will not be repeated because they have performed very poorly. Some of the sitting MPS will not be repeated as they cannot win,” he further claimed.

The source said that unlike the last time when it was much easier to give tickets, a lot more thought is being put this time.“we will most likely suffer seat losses in Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh as we had won almost all the seats in these states,” he further claimed.

“Out of 152 seats in these five states, which we fought single-handedly, without any major alliance partners, we had won 140 seats, a performance which may be difficult to repeat this time. The party will deny tickets to non-performers so that anger of the voters against them is mitigated. In Delhi, most of the MPS are facing public anger and same is the situation in Madhya Pradesh,” the source added.

“Last time, many leaders had been given tickets though they did not have their own mass base. The mistake will not be repeated this time. By the time the final list is declared, you will see many new faces. We are prepared for those who want to leave the party, they were given enough warnings to pull up their socks,” he said.

Another party source based in West Bengal said that veteran movie actress Moushu- mi Chatterjee, who recently joined the party, will be given the ticket against Satabdi Roy, sitting TMC MP from Birbhum, who has also been her contemporary in Bengali cinema. Similarly, Soumitra Khan, who too recently joined the party after resigning from TMC, will contest from the Bishnupur seat from where he had won the last time. Narahari Mahto, former MP from Purulia who too joined the party recently, is likely to be given ticket and asked to contest from Jhargram. According to sources, all these names will be released in the initial lists.