UP polls: BJP recommends to party high command of candidates list

In Uttar Pradesh, senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders held a brainstorming meeting with the core group yesterday to shortlist candidates for the forthcoming Assembly elections.

The meeting authorised party state president Keshav Prasad Maurya to hand over the list of the probable candidates recommended by the Election Committee to the central parliamentary board.

A senior party leader said the committee had deliberations on all 403 seats and has identified the candidates, adding that the list will be sent to the national high command, which will take a final call on the candidates.

There are 23 sitting legislators from parties like Bahujan Samaj Party, Samajwadi Party, Congress and Rashtriya Lok Dal, who have joined BJP in recent months.

The list includes former leader of opposition in Vidhan Sabha Swami Prasad Maurya, former Congress state president Rita Bahuguna Joshi and leader of RLD Legislature Party Dalbir Singh.