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In BJPโ€™s First List For UP Elections, 60% Of 107 Candidates Are OBC, Dalits

Lucknow: The Bhartiya Janta Party Partyโ€™s outreach to the other backward class (OBC) was evident from the list of names that was announced by the party for the first two phases of elections in Uttar Pradesh.

Of the 107 candidates whose names were announced 44 are from OBC and 19 from Scheduled Caste or Dalit community, said a BJP functionary.

The list of names includes 63 sitting MLAs and 21 fresh names. About 20% of the sitting MLAs have been dropped. There are also 10 women in the list of 107. The party has also fielded OBC and SC candidates from seats that are not reserved for these communities.

After the exit of three OBC ministers and a dozen legislators, the party has had to defend itself against allegations that it has been unable to secure empowerment of the socially and economically marginalised communities. The ministers, Swami Prasad Maurya, Dara Singh Chauhan and Saini had quit citing the oppression of OBCs and SCs.

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath will contest from the Gorakhpur Shaher assembly constituency while deputy chief Minister KP Marya will contest from Sirathu in Prayagraj.

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Congress Seats Out For Punjab Chief Minister, Navjot Sidhu, 84 Others

Ashmita Chhabria

Chandigarh: Congress has released first list of candidates for the forthcoming Punjab Assembly Elections. The list consists of Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, Punjab Congress President Navjot Singh Sidhu and 84 other candidates names. 

Chief Minister Charanjit Channi will fight from his seat of Chamkaur Saheb, while the partyโ€™s state unit chief, Navjot Sidhu, will be fielded from his Amritsar (East) constituency.

Actor-activist Sonu Soodโ€™s sister Malvika Sood, who joined the Congress on Tuesday and was hailed by Sidhu as a โ€œgame-changerโ€, has been given the Moga ticket.

Sidhu Moosewala, the controversial Punjabi singer who joined the party last month, will be contesting from his hometown, the Mansa Assembly seat.

Moosewala โ€“ known to flaunt guns in his music videos โ€“ faces many cases that accuse him of glorifying violence. His joining the party raised eyebrows and prompted hard questions of Navjot Sidhu, which he stonewalled at the time.

Among other seats announced, the Congress has retained Gurpreet Singh for the Bassi Pathana Assembly constituency, which the Chief Minister wanted for his brother.

Minister Brahm Mohindraโ€™s son Mohit will be fielded from the Patiala (rural) seat.

The party has shut out MLA Balwinder Singh Laddi, who last month quit to join the BJP, but then returned to the Congress just six days later. Mr Laddi is the MLA from Sri Hargobindpur (a reserved seat), the ticket for which has now been given to Mandeep Singh Rangar Nangal.

Sukhpal Singh Khaira, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in November in connection with a money laundering case linked to drug smuggling, has been given the Bholath ticket.

The Congress will be facing a tough competition from BJP and AAP. The ruling Congress is fighting to retain power in one of very few states it rules outright, with strong challenges expected from the BJP and the Aam Aadmi Party.

Voting for Punjabโ€™s 117 seats will take place in a single phase on February 14. Results will be announced on March 10.

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