PM Modi to Seek Re-Election from Varanasi; BJP Unveils Initial Candidate List with 34 Ministers

In a significant political move, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced his candidacy for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from Varanasi once again. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) revealed its inaugural list of 195 candidates for the polls, marking a crucial step in the electoral process.

This marks PM Modi’s third consecutive bid for the Varanasi seat, underscoring the party’s confidence in his leadership and popularity in the region. Notably, he secured victories in 2014 against AAP’s Arvind Kejriwal and in 2019 against Samajwadi Party’s Shalini Yadav.

The BJP’s first list encompasses a diverse array of candidates, including 34 ministers, reflecting the party’s commitment to representation and inclusivity in its electoral strategy. BJP National General Secretary Vinod Tawde highlighted key statistics from the list, revealing that it includes 28 women, 27 candidates from Scheduled Castes (SC), 18 from Scheduled Tribes (ST), and 57 from Other Backward Classes (OBC).

1st list of BJP candidate GE to the for Lok Sabha Election 2024 on 02.03.2024

Key Contenders Highlighted:

In addition to PM Modi’s candidacy from Varanasi, the BJP spotlighted several prominent figures in its initial candidate lineup:

• Union Home Minister Amit Shah will vie for re-election from Gujarat’s Gandhinagar constituency.
• Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya will contest from the Porbandar seat in Gujarat.
• Union Earth Sciences Minister Kiren Rijiju is set to contest from the Arunachal West constituency.
• Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has been nominated for the Vidisha seat.
• Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia will seek election from Guna.
• Notably, Bhopal MP Pragya Singh Thakur has been replaced by Alok Sharma as the party’s candidate from Bhopal.

Regional Dynamics and Strategic Placements:

The BJP’s candidate list also reflects strategic considerations in key states:

• In Kerala, Union Ministers V Muraleedharan and Rajeev Chandrasekhar will contest from Attingal and Thiruvananthapuram respectively.
• Rajasthan sees Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal, Union Minister Bhupendra Yadav, and others being fielded in crucial constituencies like Bikaner, Alwar, and Jodhpur.
• Assam’s Dibrugarh will witness Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal’s candidacy.

The unveiling of the BJP’s first list signals the initiation of what promises to be a closely watched and fiercely contested election season, with the party positioning its stalwarts strategically while also prioritizing diversity and representation in its candidate selection process.