Chandigarh: The BJP on Monday released its first list of candidates for the Haryana Assembly elections. In the first phase, 78 people made the list. In Haryana, a state where many athletes have been cast, the BJP has given priority to sportspersons.
Wrestlers Yogeshwar Dutt and Babita Phogat and former Indian hockey captain Sandeep Singh have been given seats. Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khatter will contest the 2014 Karnal seat. BJP state president Subhash Barala will seek votes from Tohana. Also, Yogeshwar Dutt will contest from Baroda, Babita Phogat from Dadri and Sandeep Singh from Pehowa.
There are 2 Muslim candidates and 9 women on the list. Meanwhile, the party, which has once again given the chance to 38 sitting MLAs, has dropped seven.
The BJP central election committee had convened a few days ago to decide on the candidature of Haryana and Maharashtra. Haryana has 90 seats. The BJP won 47 seats in the 2014 elections. The ruling Congress, however, won 15 seats and INLD won 19. The Haryana assembly elections will be held on October 21.
