Big Shake-Up In BJP's Candidate Line-Up: Notable Names Dropped From Second List

The Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP)'s second list of 72 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections on Wednesday, bringing forth several surprises. Notable inclusions featured Union Minister Piyush Goyal and former Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, slated for Karnal and Mumbai North constituencies respectively, after Khattar's resignation on Tuesday.

The BJP's 2nd candidate list also saw the omission of several incumbent MPs, including former Union ministers Sadananda Gowda and Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank'. Shivkumar Udasi, BJP leader and Haveri MP since 2009, was replaced by former Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai.

Further shuffles saw Ramesh Pokhriyal lose his candidacy in Haridwar, with former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat stepping in. BJP's chief spokesperson Anil Baluni will be making his Lok Sabha debut from Garhwal, replacing former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat.

In Maharashtra's Beed constituency, Pankaja Munde replaced her sister, incumbent MP Pritam Munde. Delhi witnessed the dropping of six out of seven MPs, with the BJP naming new candidates for all seven seats, including former mayors Harsh Malhotra and Yogendra Chandolia.

In Gujarat, seven new candidates were announced, replacing five sitting MPs. Among them, junior Railway minister Darshana Jardosh was substituted with Mukesh Dalal for the Surat constituency. Maharashtra saw eight fresh faces, including Pankaja Munde, with all Union ministers retaining their tickets.

Notably, Maharani Kriti Singh Debbarma, a member of Tripura's erstwhile royal family and sister of Pradyot Debbarma, founder of the Tipra Motha, will contest from the East Tripura (ST) constituency, marking another significant nomination.