Lok Sabha Election 2024: BJP to announce candidates soon? How is party preparing for polls

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is planning to announce its candidate for the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections in late January or early February, sources told India Today TV on Wednesday. The BJP is likely to contest on over 400 of the total 543 seats and is looking forward to winning 50 per cent vote share.

The India Today report added that the BJP is expected to contest more seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections as compared to that in 2019. In the previous general elections, the BJP contested 436 out of 543 seats. The party had won 303 seats.

Sharing details of the BJP's candidate list, the sources claimed the the list will feature candidates for more seats, "particularly in the 164 constituencies where the party previously struggled or narrowly won in 2019".

ALSO READ: 2024 Lok Sabha Elections: ‘Not based on common ideology’, BJP's Giriraj Singh criticises INDIA for ‘selfish motives’

The BJP reportedly plans to announce candidates for several constituencies including Rae Bareli, Mainpuri, Bijnor, Saharanpur, Sambhal, Muradabad, Ghazipur, Jaunpur, Rampur, Azamgarh, Nagina, Amroha, Ambedkar Nagar, Shravasti, Ghosi, and Lalganj in the first list, sources told India Today.

The party will reportedly be focusing on "31 other weaker constituencies". "These seats have been categorised into 'C' and 'D' groups, with 45 ministers overseeing two to three seats each," the report said. It added that the BJP identified 14 weak seats in Uttar Pradesh.

ALSO READ: 2024 Lok Sabha polls: PM Modi's 3rd straight term 'almost an inevitability', declares column in UK daily

Meanwhile, NDTV reported that the BJP is looking at all possible ways, including bringing in leaders from other parties, to achieve the 400 target. Sources told the media-house that BJP chief JP Nadda assigned different responsibilities to various general secretaries of the party during a strategy meeting held on Tuesday. BJP General Secretary Vinod Tawde was reportedly given charge of the joining committee.

ALSO READ: Congress considers contesting 255 seats in 2024 Lok Sabha polls amid rift in INDIA bloc

"This committee will explore the possibility of bringing influential leaders and sitting MPs from other parties to the BJP. The decision will be taken based on the person's influence in the constituency and his or her ability to win elections," a source said. They added that the BJP may explore this option, particularly in seats where "it does not feel it has a candidate capable of winning".

ALSO READ: Is INDIA bloc making progress at seat-sharing talks ahead of Lok Sabha polls? A state-wise analysis

Besides this, BJP's General Secretary Radhamohan Das Aggarwal has reportedly been given the task of making the vision document for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The Lok Sabha Elections in India are set to take place this year. The Election Commission is yet to announce the poll schedule.