BJP likely to release first list of LS polls candidates today

New Delhi, Mar 16: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is likely to declare its first list of candidates for the Lok Sabha elections on Saturday evening. The list would cover seats going to polls in the first two phases as well as some of the prominent names.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party president Amit Shah and other top Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders will attend the central election committee meeting.

The list will have the names of most of the candidates for the first phase of polling, which will be held on April 11 in 91 seats.

The country will be voting for the 545-seat lower house of parliament -- called the Lok Sabha -- and polling will unfold over seven phases around the country ending on May 19. Of the total, 543 seats will be up for grabs in the coming election.

The election is coming off the back of escalating tensions between India and Pakistan over the disputed Kashmir region that almost brought the two nuclear armed neighbors to the brink of war.

With Modi known for dropping a number of incumbents in order to beat the anti-incumbency factor, the saffron party has been abuzz with speculation over the fate of its sitting MPs.

It has sought feedback from a number of sources, including the public, and has also asked its MPs to furnish details of the works they have carried out as it finalises its candidates for the upcoming polls.