New Delhi, Jan 15 (UNI) BJP on Saturday released the list of 107 candidates for the first two phases of the upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly elections and announced Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will fight the election from Gorakhpur.
Of these 107 candidates, 63 are sitting MLAs while 20 have been dropped.
The list was released during a press conference held by Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and BJP National General Secretary Arun Singh at the party headquarters in New Delhi.
Releasing the list, here at party headquarters, party Election In-Charge Dharmendra Pradhan said, "We are releasing a list of candidates on 57 out of 58 seats in first phase and 48 out 55 in second phase.
The first list also put to rest rumors about CM Adityanath contesting the polls from Ayodhya, and it was announced he will contest from his home turf Gorkhpur. Adityanath had been the MP from Gorakhpur Lok Sabha seat since 1998 before he became UP Chief Minister in 2017.
Yogi Adityanath, is a five-term former Lok Sabha member from Gorakhpur and is currently a member of the state's Legislative Council.
Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya will contest the election from Sirathu seat in Prayagraj, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh's son Pankaj Singh will contest from Noida and Power Minister Shrikant Sharma will fight from Mathura.
There are 44 OBC candidates and 19 Scheduled Caste candidates. While 10 women have been included in the list, no Muslim has been given ticket.
Elections for the 403 Assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh will be held in seven phases starting February 10.
A total of 58 assembly seats spread over 11 districts will go the polls in the first phase on February 10.
UNI JA AO GK