Union mins, ex-CMs, scions of royal families feature in BJP 2nd list

New Delhi: Days after the high-profile announcement of 195 candidates, featuring PM Modi’s candidature from Varanasi, the BJP on Wednesday released its second list of 72 candidates from 11 states and UTs, springing many surprises, similar to its first list. While the first list of 195 saw 34 sitting Union Ministers being fielded, in second, BJP included the mins namely Nitin Gadkari, Piyush Goyal, Anurag Singh Thakur & Prahlad Joshi.

But a closer shows the constant trend — fielding ministers from the Rajya Sabha, Delhi reset and disruptions by dropping many sitting MPs. BJP has fielded its Rajya Sabha MP Piyush Goyal from Mumbai North. Interestingly, a substantial portion of his term as a RS member was left. The BJP has started this trend, where sitting mins, who have won from RS, are being asked to fight the LS polls. Continuing with trend of fielding former CM who either lost or were unceremoniously removed by the party, BJP fielded such names however dropped Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank. Well, Khattar from Karnal did not come as a surprise.