BJP releases first list of candidates for Tripura, Meghalaya polls

New Delhi, Jan 18 (UNI) The BJP today released the first list of candidates for Tripura and Meghalaya Assembly elections and decided to contest the polls in alliance with the United Democratic Front.

It also released names of candidates for Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand byelections.

The Central Election Committee, chaired by BJP President Rajnath Singh-- while leaving 11 seats for the UDF-- cleared the candidature for 47 of the 49 seats in the 60-member Tripura Assembly elections scheduled for February 23. Among the candidates are seven women.

For the March 3 Meghalaya election, the BJP cleared the names of 20 candidates. No ticket has been given to any women.

Giving the information, senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj said the Central Election Committee would meet again after five days to decide nominees for the March 5 Nagaland Assembly elections.

For the February 4 Chattisgarh and Jharkhand byelections, the party is fielding Mr Sevak Ram Netam (Keskala-ST) and Mr Kumar Ujwal (Simaria-SC) respectively.

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