The BJP today released its second candidate list for the Lok Sabha elections. While the party had earlier released a list of 195 candidates, today’s list features 72 names including that of senior leaders like Manohar Lal Khattar and Nitin Gadkari. While the BJP has announced a total of 266 candidates so far (Pawan Singh backed out from Asansol), the Congress has so far announced 82 candidates for the polls. 

A comparison of the BJP and Congress candidate list showed that while senior BJP leaders are actively taking part in the Lok Sabha polls, most of the senior Congress leaders have taken the Rajya Sabha route to become Members of Parliament. In contrast, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had asked BJP Rajya Sabha MPs to contest the Lok Sabha polls and become a members of the Lok Sabha. 

While senior BJP leaders like Nitin Gadkari, Manohar Lal Khattar, Piyush Goyal, BS Bommai, Pralhad Joshi, Trivendra Singh Rawat, Rao Indrajit Singh, Narendra Modi, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Amit Shah and Krihsnapal Gurjar are contesting the Lok Sabha polls, Congress leaders including Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Digvijaya Singh, Kamal Nath, Ashok Gehlot, Harish Rawat, Bhoopinder Hooda and Ajay Maken have opted out of the Lok Sabha as per the names announced so far.

The Lok Sabha polls are crucial for the Congress as the party has been warming the opposition benches for the last two elections. While Sonia Gandhi quit the Raebareli seat and went to the Rajya Sabha from Rajasthan, Narendra Modi is contesting again from the Varanasi seat. Though Rahul Gandhi is contesting from the Wayanad once again, his candidature from Uttar Pradesh is not clear yet.

The main contest is likely to be between the BJP-led NDA and Congress-led INDIA bloc. The Lok Sabha polls are likely to be held in April-May while the Election Commission of India is likely to announce the poll dates later this week.