In a first, BJP contesting on 437 seats, highest ever in its history

New Delhi, Apr 25: The BJP has fielded 437 candidates in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the highest number of seats the party has contested so far and perhaps for the first time more than its principal rival Congress.

The Congress has announced candidates for 423 seats and is likely to announce a few more candidates in the next few days, but it is unlikely that its number of candidates will surpass that of the BJP.

The BJP had contested 427 seats in 2014 and won 282 of them, while the Congress had fielded candidates in 450 seats and bagged just 44.

Political observers say the BJP contesting on more seats than the Congress as a result of its expansion across the country post 2014.

A higher number of BJP candidates are contesting since the BJP has no alliances in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The BJP had allied with Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu-led Telugu Desam Party for the 2014 national polls.

The BJP is contesting all 42 Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. It contested just 12 in 2014. The BJP is, however, contesting fewer seats in Bihar, Jharkhand and Assam because of alliances.

Similarly, the Congress is contesting on less number of seats than the BJP this time because it has allied with more parties as compared to 2014.

In Karnataka, where the party had contested on all seats in 2014, is now in alliance in with the JD(S). The party has expanded its alliance in Bihar with the entry of new partners.

PTI