NEW DELHI: The core committee of the West Bengal BJP on Wednesday deliberated on the list of candidates for the Assembly polls. Its members discussed each shortlisted candidate before sending the names to the BJP’s Central Election Committee. The meeting of the core committee continued for over six hours at the residence of senior party leader J P Nadda in the presence of BJP national party president Nitin Nabin. Union Home Minister Amit Shah later joined the meeting.
According to a senior source, the first list of candidates was examined from every possible angle, particularly focusing on their chances of electoral success. Once the Central Election Committee approves the names in the list, the first batch of candidates, covering more than 50 seats, will be announced soon. The meeting of the Central Election Committee is scheduled to take place on Thursday at the party headquarters, with PM Narendra Modi expected to be present.
A senior BJP source added that the selection of candidates for the elections in Bengal and Kerala is being carried out through several rounds of extensive deliberations. This approach, the source said, reflects the importance of both states for the party, as they are governed by opposition parties.
Sources indicated that the BJP may release lists of candidates for both states well in advance. In the case of West Bengal, the list is likely to focus on constituencies considered crucial. These include seats where BJP candidates narrowly lost in the previous Assembly election. In West Bengal, around 90 to 110 Assembly constituencies are regarded as critical.