Lok Sabha Election 2024: On Which criteria BJP is going to cut tickets? Consideration of changing 30 percent candidates

Lok Sabha Election 2024 BJP First Candidate List: Amidst the preparations for the Lok Sabha elections, BJP will announce candidates for 160 weak seats in the next few weeks. Out of these, 133 seats were lost in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Apart from this, there are 27 other seats. BJP can release the first list for the general elections on 22 January i.e. after the consecration ceremony of Ram temple.

Many allies in Punjab, Bihar and Maharashtra have left NDA. In such a situation, BJP is planning to contest elections in these states with new allies or alone. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, BJP contested 436 seats out of 543. Out of these, the party had lost 160 seats. The party’s deposits were forfeited on 51 seats. 

What is BJP thinking?

Five years ago, BJP did not field its candidates on 56 seats in three states. In this, BJP had contested 3 out of 13 seats in Punjab, 25 out of 48 seats in Maharashtra and 17 out of 40 seats in Bihar. 

During this period, the then ally Shiromani Akali Dal had contested elections on 10 seats in Punjab. Whereas in Bihar, JDU and Lok Janshakti Party had fielded their candidates on 17 and 6 seats respectively. Also, undivided Shiv Sena had contested elections on 23 seats in Maharashtra. 

The party is also considering changing at least 30 percent of its current Lok Sabha MPs. The conditions being set by BJP for changing the ticket include MP above 70 years of age, MP more than three times and popularity in the Lok Sabha constituency. However, some MPs may be given relaxation in these three rules.

In which states the vote share is more than 50 percent 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah in the party office bearer meeting said that the nationwide vote share should be at least 37.7 percent achieved five years ago. Called for increasing the vote share by 10 per cent and ensuring more than 50 per cent vote share in those states where it is close to this benchmark.

BJP has got more than 50 percent votes in 11 states including Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Delhi, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Goa. Whereas in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, 49 percent votes were received in Uttar Pradesh and Tripura.

The party leadership has not revealed any numbers yet, but it wants to surpass its 2019 tally of 303 seats. Although the slogan of crossing 400 has been raised several times on party forums, it remains to be seen how BJP achieves the new target this time.