Today in Politics: BJP’s first LS list on the cards after central panel huddle; CM Sukhu fate hangs in balance

The BJP Central Election Committee (CEC) is set to meet in Delhi Thursday to discuss candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Sources said the ruling party is likely to announce the first list of around 150 candidates after the meeting, which is likely to feature the names of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, among other leaders. The list may also have the names of candidates for many seats which were not won by the BJP in the 2019 polls.

In context: The BJP CEC meeting comes a day after Shah and BJP national president J P Nadda held separate meetings with party leaders from several states, including Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand. Similar meetings with leaders from Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Telangana have already been held.

The BJP national executive meeting held on February 17-18 saw the party reaffirm its faith in Prime Minister Modi and extend the tenure of Nadda.

Cong HP observers to submit report

As the Congress government in Himachal Pradesh faces a crisis, the party observers for the state – former Haryana CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda, former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel and Karnataka deputy CM D K Shivakumar – will submit a report to party national president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday. The Congress observers spoke to the party MLAs in Shimla on Wednesday.

The Congress has made it clear that it is weighing all options and would not hesitate in taking “tough decisions” to ensure that the people’s mandate is respected.

Six Congress MLAs cross-voted in favour of the BJP candidate in the Rajya Sabha polls in Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday, with sources claiming they were “disappointed” with the working style of CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.

Karnataka caste survey