BJP postpones release of poll candidates’ list

The BJP has postponed the date of declaring its candidates for the 2012 Assembly polls. The party was to release its first list of candidates before September 13,when the fortnight of pitra paksha begins. But now party leaders have decided to declare its candidates in the last week of September. Sources said the BJP was ready with a list of candidates for about 150 constituencies and party chief Nitin Gadkari was willing to release it before September 13. But other leaders insisted on reviewing the list again and,for the same reason,have called a meeting of the election committee in Lucknow on September 9. The party has also called the in-charge and presidents of all the districts to take feedback about candidates and receive recommendations for other names. Party in-charge of UP Narendra Singh Tomer told The Indian Express,“Now the list might be declared by the end of the month. Some changes may be made in the list after we take suggestions from district office-bearers about the candidates on September 9.” About the delay in releasing names,Tomer said,“We do not want to declare candidates and change them later as other political parties are doing. We will announce a list of final candidates.” Another party leader said,“In the first list,there were names of sitting MLAs and MLCs also. But as some of our sitting MLAs have left the party recently,we are looking for other options in their constituencies.”