The BJP came out with its first list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls on Saturday, announcing 195 candidates across 16 States and two Union Territories. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will contest from Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, his parliamentary seat for the last two general elections.
Out of the 195 candidates, 107 belong to backward communities, with 27 Scheduled Caste candidates, 18 Scheduled Tribe candidates, and 57 from other backward classes (OBCs). There are 28 women candidates in the list, and 47 candidates who are under the age of 50. One Muslim candidate, Abdul Salam, has been fielded from Malappuram in Kerala.
“I thank the @BJP4India leadership and bow to the crores of selfless Party Karyakartas for their constant faith in me. I look forward to serving my sisters and brothers of Kashi for the third time,” the Prime Minister said in a post on X. “In 2014, I went to Kashi with a commitment to fulfil people’s dreams and empower the poorest of the poor. Over the last ten years, we have made significant progress across various sectors and worked towards a better Kashi. These efforts will continue with even greater vigour. I would also like to convey a special gratitude to the people of Kashi for their blessings, which I cherish greatly,” he said.
