Nitin Gadkari, Manohar Lal Khattar: BJP Releases 2nd List Of Candidates For 2024 Lok Sabha Polls
NEW DELHI: On Wednesday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) revealed its second roster comprising 72 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Notable figures such as former Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari are among the candidates listed.
Khattar and Gadkari: Key Candidates
This announcement follows Manohar Lal Khattar’s resignation from his position along with his cabinet members the day prior.
Khattar has been nominated to contest from the Karnal Lok Sabha constituency. Just hours before the BJP’s announcement, Khattar resigned as the MLA of Karnal assembly constituency. Simultaneously, Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari is set to run for the Nagpur Lok Sabha seat in Maharashtra.
Political Dynamics and Interactions
A day preceding the BJP’s release of the second list, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray urged Nitin Gadkari to exit the BJP if he felt “insulted.” Thackeray expressed confidence in Maha Vikas Aghadi ensuring Gadkari’s triumph in the Lok Sabha polls. Gadkari dismissed Thackeray’s proposition as “immature and ridiculous.”
Other Notable Candidates in the Second List
The BJP’s second list features other notable personalities such as former Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai (running from Haveri), Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi (contesting from Dharwad), party MP Tejasvi Surya (vying for Bangalore South), cabinet minister Piyush Goyal (seeking election from Mumbai North), and former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Trivendra Singh Rawat (standing in Hardwar).
Former Chief Ministers Among Candidates
Three former chief ministers, namely Manohar Lal Khattar, Basavaraj Bommai, and Trivendra Singh Rawat, are part of the BJP’s list of 72 candidates.
Total Candidate Count
The BJP had disclosed its initial list of 195 candidates on March 2. With the latest additions, the party has announced a total of 267 candidates.