BJP list likely today: Children, wives of leaders may feature

BJP sources said that Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s son, Amit Singh alias Pankaj Singh, is seeking ticket to contest from Noida or Sahibabad. Other leaders seeking tickets for their kin include Kairana MP Hukum Singh, who wants a ticket for his daughter Mrigyanka Singh from Kairana Assembly seat.

Followers of Union Minister and Deoria MP Kalraj Mishra’s son, Amit Mishra, had put posters in his favour recently in Lucknow. It is believed that Amit wants to contest the elections this time.

Sources said Lalji Tandon’s son Ashutosh Tandon, the sitting MLA from Lucknow, is also likely to contest again. Rita Bahuguna Joshi, who had joined BJP after quitting Congress recently, is also trying to get her son, Mayank, nominated.

Moreover, sources said Swami Prasad Maurya, who had also recently joined BJP from BSP, is seeking tickets for his son Utkrishta and daughter Sanghmitra. Moradabad MP Sarvesh Singh is reportedly trying for a ticket for either his son Sudhansu or wife Sadhna from Barapur or Thakurdwara.

Bhairon Prasad Mishra, Banda MP is trying for his brother’s son Prakash Mishra from Karvi in Chitrakoot. Rekha Verma, MP from Dhaurehra (SC), is reportedly seeking a ticket for her niece from a seat in Faizabad. On the other hand, Amroha MP Kanwar Singh Tanwar is trying for a ticket for his son Mehar Singh Tanwar from Garhmukteshwar.

Etah MP Rajveer Singh, son of the Rajasthan Governor, is also allegedly seeking a ticket for his wife Premlata or son from Dibai in Bulandshahar. Abhishek Pal, son of Domariaganj MP Jagdambika Pal, is also in the ticket aspirant list.

Sources said Lakhman Acharya, the president of BJP unit of Kashi Pradesh in eastern UP, is seeking a ticket for his younger brother Sheetla Acharya from Obra (ST) in Sonbhadra district. Moreover, Brajesh Pathak, a new entrant from BSP, is seeking a ticket for his wife Namrata Pathak.

Sources said that BJP functionaries in the state were flooded with requests for tickets for relatives of the party men, forcing Prime Minister Narendra Modi to advice against it. On last day of Winter Session of the Parliament, he had told party leaders: “Don’t ask for tickets for your relatives.” “At least three dozen party MPs and several other leaders have tried very hard to get tickets for their relatives,’’ a top state BJP leader told The Indian Express.

“Relatives of some leaders have sought (tickets on) their own while other have put pressure through RSS pracharaks and other party leaders.”

The party has authorised state chief Keshav Prasad Maurya to recommend names for tickets to the central leadership, which is meeting on Sunday to finalise 200 candidates. “The party decides tickets based on winability…,” BJP spokesman Shrikant Sharma insisted.