The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced its first list of 195 candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The list includes several prominent leaders, such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president Amit Shah, Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will contest from Lucknow and Smriti Irani will be fighting from Amethi.
The party has also given tickets to some of its allies, such as the Janata Dal (United) in Bihar, the Shiv Sena in Maharashtra, and the Lok Janshakti Party in Uttar Pradesh.
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The BJP is aiming to retain its majority in the Lok Sabha, where it won 282 seats out of 543 in the 2014 elections. The party is facing a tough challenge from the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA), as well as several regional parties that have formed alliances in different states. The BJP has also faced criticism for its handling of the economy, the farmers’ distress, the unemployment crisis, and the recent Pulwama terror attack.
The BJP has claimed that it has fulfilled most of its promises made in its 2014 manifesto, such as implementing the Goods and Services Tax (GST), launching the Ayushman Bharat health scheme, building toilets under the Swachh Bharat mission, providing electricity to all villages under the Saubhagya scheme, and launching several welfare schemes for women, youth, and farmers. The party has also highlighted its achievements in foreign policy, national security, and social justice.
