New Delhi, Jan 10 As the process for candidate selection is about to start for the upcoming Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP is reviewing the performance report of all its sitting MLAs before finalising on extending their candidature for another term.
A senior party leader said that the performance reports of all sitting MLAs have been received and the party's central leadership will take a call on whether they will be given tickets to contest the polls after studying them.
A senior party functionary aware of development said that performance reports have been prepared to find out anti-incumbency against the sitting MLAs.
"Those who are facing strong anti-incumbency are likely to be replaced with new faces. Performance reports in this regard are with the central leadership. Findings of the reports will be taken into consideration before deciding the fate of the sitting MLAs," he said.
Strong speculation is doing the rounds in BJP circles that many sitting MLAs will be denied tickets. Sources said that the reports and the feedback collected by party leaders will be one of the criteria to find out the popularity of the sitting MLAs.
"Right now, it is difficult to say how many sitting MLAs will be denied ticket to contest the polls, but those facing strong anti-incumbency will definitely miss out," sources said.
Uttar Pradesh BJP's election committee is meeting in Lucknow to discuss the candidates for the first round of polling. It is learnt that the top party leadership, including Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, is likely to meet BJP chief J.P. Nadda and other central leaders to discuss candidate selection on Tuesday.
Sources in the BJP said that Adityanath, Deputy CMs Dinesh Sharma and Keshav Prasad Maurya, BJP state unit chief Swatantra Dev Singh, and state General Secretary (organisation) Sunil Bansal will reach the national capital to discuss candidate selection for the first two phases of Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls. The final decision on the candidates will be taken by the BJP parliamentary board, which is likely to meet on January 13.
The Last date of filing nomination for 58 Assembly seats where polling will be held in the first phase is January 21. The last date of filing nomination for 55 Assembly seats that will go to polls in the second phase is January 28.
The first two phases of polling will be held on February 10 and February 14, respectively.
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