Big push for OBC: 60% seats to backward castes & women in BJP’s list for 1st & 2nd phase; Full list here

New Delhi: BJP on Saturday released its first list of 107 candidates for the first and second phase of the upcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly Polls that are scheduled to be held on February 10 and 14.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will contest from the Gorakhpur Assembly constituency. Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya will contest from Sirathu in Prayagraj district.

The list was released by union minister Dharmendra Pradhan and BJP national general secretary Arun Singh at the press conference in New Delhi. Recently, several party leaders resigned from their posts alleging Uttar Pradesh’s government’s callous attitude towards backward classes.

Keeping the caste arithmetic balance and to gain voters’ appeal, Bharatiya Janata Party has fielded women on 10 seats, OBC candidates on 44 seats and scheduled castes (SC) candidates from 19 seats, accounting for 60 per cent of the total.

In the list released today, 83 are current MLAs of BJP and 21 individuals are new candidates of a list of 107 candidates released today in toto.
Former Uttarakhand governor, Baby Rani Maurya will be contesting from the Agra Rural seat. Pankaj Singh, the son of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, will again contest from Noida seat.

While addressing the press conference, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said, “We are releasing a list of candidates for 57 out of 58 seats in the first phase and for 48 out of 55 in the second phase.”

“Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to contest from Gorakhpur seat. Deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya to contest from Sirathu assembly segment,” he said.

Deputy CM Kesav Prasad Maurya to contest UP Polls from Sirathu in Prayagraj district: BJP pic.twitter.com/eFtJRj4cLp

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) January 15, 2022

Yogi Adityanath has been the Member of Parliament from the Gorakhpur constituency, Uttar Pradesh, for five consecutive terms since 1998

Earlier, it was reported that the Chief Minister would also contest from Ayodhya. However, this report now stands nullified.

Elections for the 403 assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh will be held in seven phases starting February 10, the Election Commission said.

The polling in Uttar Pradesh will be held on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27 and March 3 and 7 in seven phases. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.

Check the full list here: