BJP Prepares Candidate Shortlist For Uttar Pradesh By-elections

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has advanced its preparations for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh by-elections, shortlisting three potential candidates for each of the nine seats it plans to contest, according to inside sources.

On Monday, the BJP Core Committee convened in Lucknow under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's leadership. The meeting, attended by key figures including Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brijesh Pathak, UP BJP chief Bhupendra Chaudhary, and Organisation General Secretary Dharampal Singh, resulted in a list of 27 names for nine seats.

These shortlisted candidates will now be presented to the BJP's central leadership for final selection. The by-elections are necessary for ten seats that became vacant after their MLAs were elected to the Lok Sabha in 2024, with an additional seat opening due to the disqualification of a Samajwadi Party legislator.

The contested seats include Milkipur, Katehari, Majhwan, Phulpur, Khair, Kundarki, Meerapur, Karhal, and Ghaziabad. Sources suggest that the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD), led by Jayant Chaudhary, might be offered the Meerapur seat. The Nishad Party, headed by UP Fisheries Minister Sanjay Nishad, is vying for two seats, though no decision has been reached.

Meanwhile, the opposition is also mobilizing. Former Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party has been conducting meetings with party officials and workers, focusing not only on the by-elections but also on preparations for the 2027 Assembly elections.

The Election Commission is expected to announce the by-election dates soon, with polls likely to be held in November to comply with the six-month deadline for filling vacant seats. These by-elections are seen as a crucial test for all parties involved, potentially shaping political dynamics in Uttar Pradesh ahead of future electoral battles.