The BJP has shortlisted candidates for 209 of Uttar Pradesh's 403 Assembly seats ahead of the 2027 elections, according to a report by India TV. The list has been sent from Lucknow to Delhi and is awaiting approval from the party's central leadership.
The names were reportedly finalised with the consent of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the report said.
The move comes as the BJP steps up its preparations for the Assembly elections after Diwali. The party is aiming for a third consecutive victory in Uttar Pradesh and has reportedly set a target of winning more than 300 seats.
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The 209 names have been placed under 'Category A', according to the report. If approved by the central leadership, the candidates could receive their tickets early, giving them more time to prepare for the elections in their respective constituencies.
The shortlist covers slightly more than half of the state's 403 Assembly seats, although the candidates are yet to receive final approval from the party leadership.
Yogi Adityanath Targets Akhilesh Yadav Over SIR
Meanwhile, the political row over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Uttar Pradesh continues.
In an interview with a Hindi news channel, Yogi Adityanath claimed that Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav would no longer demand that the SIR exercise be scrapped. The Chief Minister argued that this was because the number of Muslim voters had increased by 1.63% following the revision, which he claimed worked in Yadav's favour.
Adityanath also claimed that the names of 1.27 crore Hindu voters had been removed from the electoral rolls. He said a complaint had been filed with the Election Commission, while alleging that Yadav would not raise objections because the revision appeared to benefit his party's voter base.
The report did not include a response from Akhilesh Yadav to the Chief Minister's remarks.
‘80-20 Contest'
Describing the 2027 Assembly elections as an “80-20” contest, Adityanath said 80% of voters supported the BJP and the NDA on issues such as security, good governance and prosperity, while the remaining 20% would back the opposition.
He also defended the slogan “If we divide, we will be cut off”, arguing that it was not intended to polarise voters. According to the Chief Minister, history showed that divisions along caste, regional or linguistic lines could weaken society, while unity helped protect people.
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