BJP likely to decide on additional seat for Modi, Gandhinagar for Advani

A decision on the seats from where Narendra Modi and L K Advani will contest in Gujarat will be taken on Wednesday when the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Central Election Committee considers the party's another list of candidates for Lok Sabha polls.

Sources said while Advani is likely to be fielded again from Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat, Modi could choose to contest from either Baroda or Ahmedabad East Lok Sabha seat. The Gujarat unit of the BJP has sent only one name of Advani for Gandhinagar while it has strongly recommended that Modi should contest also from his home state (apart from Varanasi) as it is the "wish and demand of the people of Gujarat as well as party workers."

Modi's candidature from Varanasi seat has already been declared by the party and a decision on his Gujarat seat is expected on Wednesday.

The BJP has so far declared 201 candidates and is likely to declare another 100 seats after the CEC meeting. Sources said among the states that will be considered are Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya pradesh.

The decision to make recommendations about Modi and Advani, besides other seats in Gujarat, to the party's central leadership was taken by the state parliamentary board, which met in Gandhinagar today at Modi's residence.

"Out of the 26 seats of the state, we have finalised panel of three names (each) for 25 seats, barring only one constituency of Gandhinagar. On the Gandhinagar seat we have recommended party leader L K Advaniji," state BJP general secretary Vijay Rupani told PTI.