BJP Candidate List: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday announced its first list of 195 candidates for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Announcing the list, BJP National General Secretary Vinod Tawde said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will fight again from Varanasi in the upcoming general elections as the party named 34 Union ministers including Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh and Smriti Irani in the first list of 195 candidates. The list also included two former ministers as well as Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, who will fight again from Kota in Rajasthan, and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan from Vidisha.

Union ministers fielded by the BJP through the first list also included Mansukh Mandaviya, Jitendra Singh, Sarbananda Sonowal, Gajendra Shekhawat, Bhupender Yadav, G Kishan Reddy, Kiren Rijiju, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Rajeev Chandrashekhar, Arjun Ram Meghwal and Arjun Munda.

Tawde, meanwhile, said the party is confident that it would form the government for the third term under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a much bigger mandate. He also said that the party has been working on further expanding its footprint across various states and also to strengthen the National Democratic Alliance. The list included 28 women and 47 young leaders. The announced names included those for 51 seats in Uttar Pradesh, 20 in West Bengal and five in Delhi.

BJP First Candidate List For 2024 Lok Sabha Elections: Highlights

• 27 SC, and 18 ST candidates in BJP's 1st list of 195 candidates. 
• 47 women candidates below the age of 50 years to feature in the first list. 
• The first list includes 34 ministers from the Modi Cabinet. 
• BJP's first list to feature 195 candidates.
• PM Modi to contest from Varanasi.
• ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas’ is our motto, said Vinod Tawde
• BJP presser begins 
• The list may include around 50 names for Uttar Pradesh constituencies, with actress-turned-politician Hema Malini expected to contest again from her constituency, Mathura.
• Former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Chouhan, who attended the crucial CEC meeting, is expected to be nominated from MP's Vidisha. 

BJP First List of Candidates For Lok Sabha Polls: Constituency-wise 

Leaders React

BJP leader Shivraj Singh Chouhan to contest from Vidhisha, MP. Speaking to reporters, he said, "...We will work towards achieving 'Viksit Bharat' under the leadership of PM Modi. It is a very balanced list of candidates, in which youth, women, and others have been given a chance to work."

Speaking to the Republic, Bansuri Swaraj said, "I am grateful to the PM And Home Minister for giving me the opportunity. Also I would thank Virendra Sachdeva Ji, this ticket is dedicated to every BJP worker. People of India trust Modi Ji and his guarantee."

On his candidature from Rajnandgaon, BJP leader Santosh Pandey said, “I thank the people of Rajnandgaon for the opportunity that I have got...The people have always supported & appreciated my work.”

BJP leader Jugal Kishore Sharma to contest from Jammu Lok Sabha seat, he said, "I express gratitude towards PM Modi and JP Nadda ji and senior leadership of the party for giving me another opportunity to serve the public. I assure everyone that we will work for the public with more dedication, and work towards making Modi ji the PM for the third time. BJP will win 3 seats with majority, there will be fight on the 2 seats, in J&K."