Ten new faces in BJP’s second list of 21 candidates

Fields a rookie from Marwahi against Amit Jogi

After prolonged deliberations,the BJP released its second list of 21 candidates around 11.45 pm on Sunday. The party had earlier announced 67 candidates,and the nominees for only two seats of Sitapur and Vaishali Nagar remain now. Chief Minister Raman Singh and state in-charge J P Nadda,Raipur MP Ramesh Bais and other senior leaders held long meetings Sunday and sent their recommendations to party president Rajnath Singh,who gave his approval.

Of the 21 announced Sunday,10 are new faces and,in a major surprise,the BJP has fielded a rookie woman candidate Sameera Painkra against Ajit Jogis son Amit Jogi from Marwahi. Amit has received the Congress ticket from the ST constituency seat represented by his father in the last three elections.

Amit Jogi has no experience of working in Marwahi. He has only lived and worked in Raipur. We have opted for a young tribal woman belonging to an ordinary farmer family, said Yashwant Jain,senior BJP leader and chairman of the Commission for Protection of Child Rights. The party has also fielded Jawahar Naik against slain PCC chief Nand Kumar Patels son Umesh Patel from Kharasiya.

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Most of the seats announced today are not with us. We have given youths an opportunity, said Jain.

Two MLAs were denied ticket Sunday. In the last list,10 legislators were not given tickets,sparking protests among their supporters. Narayan Chandel,who was facing protest from grassroots workers of his constituency,has been retained.

The Congress has already announced 62 candidates so far in two lists,and is likely to announce its third and final list Monday.

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