West Bengal Polls: BJP to finalise first list of candidates in election panel meet tomorrow

The BJP Central Election Committee (CEC) will meet in Delhi on Thursday to finalise party candidates for 60 Assembly seats that will go to the polls in the first two phases of the highly polarised and crucial West Bengal election.

Top party leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, are expected to be a part of this meeting.

Bengal BJP unit president Dilip Ghosh said on Wednesday that the party has shortlisted an average of 4-5 names per seat for the first two phases of polling on March 27 and April 1.

One of the constituencies which will go to the polls in the second phase is Nandigram from where TMC supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is scheduled to contest.

"We have received 120-140 names from our district units for the first two phases. In addition to that, there are hundreds of other names. We had 20-25 names for each seat and from that, we have shortlisted around 4-5 names per seat,” Ghosh was quoted as saying by PTI.

“This reflects that people from various walks of life are very



eager to join us. There will be some more omission and after that, it is for the party leadership to decide, he said.

The BJP core group of Bengal will deliberate with the central leadership, including party president JP Nadda, to narrow down the list of probables before the CEC picks the final candidates.

BJP has decided to field more young faces and professionals, PTI reported. This time, BJP is also planning to nominate several personalities from the Bengali film industry, apart from the 19 TMC MLAs such as former ministers Rajib Banerjee and Suvendu Adhikari.

The West Bengal election will be held in eight phases, up from seven last time, beginning with polling for 30 seats on March 27.

The second phase has been scheduled for April 1 and will cover 30 constituencies, followed by the third phase on April 6 for 31 seats, fourth on April 10 for 44 constituencies, fifth on April 17 for 45 seats, sixth for 43 seats on April 22, seventh phase on April 26 for 36 seats and the last and eighth phase on April 29 for 35 seats.