The BJP's recent announcement of its second list of candidates for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections has sparked significant changes within the party's roster. With a strategic move, the BJP has decided to replace a considerable number of sitting MPs with fresh faces, totaling at least 25 across various states.
In Delhi, the ruling party has opted for a new candidate, Harsh Malhotra, for the East Delhi Lok Sabha seat, thereby sidelining the incumbent Gautam Gambhir, a former cricketer. Similarly, for the North West Delhi constituency, reserved for the Scheduled Caste, Yogendra Chandolia has been named as the BJP's candidate, replacing the current MP, Hans Raj Hans, a renowned singer.
Gujarat, the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, has also witnessed significant changes with the BJP introducing new candidates in place of five sitting MPs. For instance, Bhikhaji Dudhaji Thakore will now represent Sabarkantha, replacing the two-term MP Dipsinh Magansinh Rathod. Additionally, Nimuben Bambhania has been nominated for the Bhavnagar seat, displacing the incumbent Bhartiben Dhirubhai Shiyal.
Haryana's political landscape has also seen a shift as the BJP has replaced Sunita Duggal with Ashok Tanwar for the Sirsa seat, reserved for the Scheduled Caste. Tanwar, a former Congress leader, recently switched to the BJP, adding another layer of intrigue to the electoral dynamics. Moreover, in Karnal, the BJP has chosen former Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar over the sitting MP Sanjay Bhatia, who has been dropped from the list.
Karnataka, too, is not exempt from this wave of change, with the BJP introducing five new faces for the Lok Sabha polls. Notable among them is B Sriramulu, who will now contest from Bellary, a seat reserved for the Scheduled Tribe, in place of the incumbent Y Devendrappa. The party has also opted for former Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai for the Haveri seat, replacing the three-term MP Shivkumar Chanabasappa Udasi.
In Maharashtra, the BJP has decided to shake things up by replacing its sitting MPs in five Lok Sabha constituencies. For instance, Smita Wagh will now represent Jalgaon instead of Unmesh Bhaiyyasaheb Patil, and Union minister Piyush Goyal has been nominated from Mumbai North in place of the BJP's two-term MP Gopal Chinayya Shetty.
The trend continues in other states like Telangana, where the BJP has chosen Godam Nagesh for the Adilabad seat, replacing the sitting MP Soyam Babu Rao. Similarly, in Uttarakhand, Anil Baluni has been nominated for Garhwal instead of the incumbent Tirath Singh Rawat.
Overall, with these strategic replacements, the BJP aims to revitalize its electoral strategy and rejuvenate its presence across various constituencies, setting the stage for an intriguing Lok Sabha election.
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