Setting the tone for 2014 elections, the BJP on Thursday announced its first list of 54 candidates from key states like Maharashtra, West Bengal and Odisha.
Among the prominent names on the list are former BJP president Nitin Gadkari, who will contest from Nagpur, deputy leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Gopinath Munde from Beed, Bhartiya Janta Yuva Morcha chief and sitting Hamirpur (Himachal) MP chief Anurag Thakur and former Himachal chief minister Shanta Kumar, who will contest from Kangra.
BJP’s first list has two Muslim candidates who have been allotted tickets from Kashmir — Gulam Mohammad Meer (Baramulla) and Mushtaq Ahmad Malik (Nurabadi).
The list for West Bengal has an interesting mix of actors, a magician and a former IPS officer. Magician PC Sorcar will contest from Barasat, Sujit Ghosh, Ex-IPS from Murshidabad, while Satyapal Sarkar (Ex-DIG) will contest from Jalpaiguri.