The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Central Election Committee convened on Sunday to finalise its candidates for the upcoming assembly elections. This gathering aimed to streamline candidate selection before the formal commencement of the electoral process. Notably, this round of Central Election Committee meetings marked the first discussion on candidates for the Rajasthan polls. Key party leaders from the state, including former chief minister Vasundhara Raje, joined the national leadership in the deliberations.
Drawing from its strategy in the Madhya Pradesh assembly polls, where the party fielded three Union ministers and four other Members of Parliament, the BJP may adopt a similar approach in Rajasthan, news agency PTI reported. Union ministers Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Arjun Ram Meghwal, and Kailash Choudhary hail from the state, which witnessed the BJP securing all but one of the 25 Lok Sabha seats in 2019.
The Central Election Committee boasts the presence of influential figures such as Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Amit Shah, alongside the party's President, J P Nadda.
Chhattisgarh BJP leaders, including former Chief Minister Raman Singh and State Party Chief Arun Sao, also converged in the national capital for these discussions as the CEC is expected to finalise the remaining candidates for the state.
This meeting followed two prior sessions where the Central Election Committee worked towards finalising party candidates for the ongoing round of state polls. Special attention was paid to seats currently held by the Congress, the BJP's primary rival in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Rajasthan, as per PTI.
Up until now, the BJP has announced 79 candidates for the 230-member Madhya Pradesh assembly and 21 candidates for the 90-member House in Chhattisgarh.
Noteworthy is the party's deviation from its usual practice of naming candidates after the Election Commission announces the poll schedule. With this approach, the BJP looked to provide candidates with ample time to conduct their campaigns, particularly in constituencies held by the Congress.
Among the five states slated for elections, the BJP currently holds power solely in Madhya Pradesh, with the Congress governing Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. The BRS is in control of Telangana, and the Mizo National Front governs Mizoram.
The BJP remains focused on its mission to strengthen its political presence across these states as the electoral drama unfolds.