VIJAYAWADA: A day after forging an alliance with the TDP, the State BJP has started the exercise of finalising its candidates for both Lok Sabha and Assembly seats.
Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat is said to be holding talks with the State BJP core team to finalise the candidates. The names of BJP candidates are likely to be announced on Monday evening. On the other hand, the Union Minister is likely to negotiate with the alliance partner on getting one or two additional Lok Sabha and Assembly seats for the BJP. According to sources, Shekhawat, along with BJP national vice-president Baijayant Panda, will finalise the candidates for the seats to be contested by the party.
“As of now, we are hopeful of getting six to seven Lok Sabha seats and a similar number of Assembly seats. But, we will ask for a few more seats and try to convince our alliance partner,’’ a BJP leader said.
As part of the alliance, the BJP is set to get six Lok Sabha seats and another six Assembly seats. The Lok Sabha seats include Anakapalle, Eluru, Araku, Rajampet, Rajahmundry and Hindupur. Earlier, it was speculated that the BJP might seek either Hindupur or Tirupati Lok Sabha seat. But, the BJP leadership has decided to leave Tirupati to the TDP as it does not have a strong candidate for the SC reserved seat.
According to the sources, the BJP will once again take up the issue of contesting Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha seat with its ally. “We won Visakhapatnam earlier. We also have a strong candidate there. As majority of the Assembly segments in Visakhapatnam Lok Sabha constituency are urban centric, we have a good chance of winning it. Our national leaders will once again negotiate with the alliance partner for the seat,’’ the sources revealed.
When it comes to Assembly seats too, the BJP wants to seek some more seats. The party seems to be interested in contesting some urban dominated segments like Kakinada City and Rajamahendravaram City, apart from two or more other seats. “Initially, we have asked for 13 Assembly seats, but the TDP, as of now, wants to allocate six seats. We hope that the number will touch at least 10. Former State BJP president Somu Veerraju is likely to contest from Rajamahendravaram City seat,” the sources added.
TDP to finalise candidates for remaining seats soon
The TDP leadership too is said to have begun the exercise of finalising the candidates for the remaining Assembly seats. The party has already named candidates for 94 Assembly constituencies. The TDP will be contesting 140 Assembly seats as per the alliance and it is in the process of selecting candidates for the remaining segments.