Haryana polls: BJP may announce first set of candidates today

There are speculations that the BJP is likely to announce its first list of candidates for the Haryana assembly polls on Sunday (September 29) since the party’s central election committee is set to meet later in the day.

Former Indian Hockey team captain Sandeep Singh, women wrestler Babita Phogat, and Olympic wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt, who recently joined the BJP, are likely to be fielded by the party in the elections, sources said.

Besides Haryana, the names of candidates for the Maharashtra elections may be finalised in the BJP central election committee meeting which will be held today, they said.

However, the BJP hasn’t reached an agreement on seat distribution with its ally Shiv Sena.

Also read: Maharashtra, Haryana Assembly polls on Oct 21, verdict on Oct 24

In the previous assembly, both the BJP and the Shiv Sena had contested separately. But after the results, both the parties formed an alliance to form the government in Maharashtra. In the 288-member assembly, BJP had won the 122 seats followed by Shiv Sena with 63 seats.

Both parties forged an alliance for the Lok Sabha elections held in May 2019.

Assembly elections in both Haryana and Maharashtra are scheduled to be held on October 21 and the results will be announced on October 24.

(With inputs from agencies)