BJP Selects Paras Nath Rai As Ghazipur Candidate, Resolving Candidacy Speculations

In a significant development for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has officially named Paras Nath Rai as its candidate for the Ghazipur constituency in Uttar Pradesh. Rai, a well-known figure in the education sector, particularly in eastern Uttar Pradesh where he owns several colleges, has been chosen to contest against prominent opponents, marking an end to speculations surrounding the candidacy of Jammu and Kashmir's Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha.

The decision to field Rai comes amidst heightened anticipation regarding Sinha's potential resignation to contest the Ghazipur seat, which he had previously won three times but lost in the 2019 elections. Rai's selection underscores the BJP's strategy to put forward a strong contender in a crucial constituency.

The electoral contest in Ghazipur is expected to be intense, as Rai will face off against Afzal Ansari, the brother of the late gangster-politician Mukhtar Ansari, representing the Samajwadi Party. Ansari emerged victorious in the 2019 elections on a Samajwadi Party-Bahujan Samaj Party alliance ticket, defeating Sinha.

Rai's nomination is part of the BJP's third list of candidates for Uttar Pradesh, which includes a total of seven nominees. Notably, the BJP has made changes to candidates in five out of the seven seats listed, signaling a strategic reevaluation of its electoral lineup in the state.

While the BJP has finalized candidates for 70 out of the 80 Lok Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh, it has yet to declare its contender for the Congress stronghold of Rae Bareli, leading to speculation about a possible candidacy from the Gandhi family.

The BJP's candidate selection process has also seen changes in several constituencies across Uttar Pradesh. Notable among these is the replacement of sitting MPs, such as Rita Bahuguna Joshi in Prayagraj, with Neeraj Tripathi, son of the late former West Bengal governor Keshari Nath Tripathi.

In Mainpuri, a stronghold of the Samajwadi Party led by Akhilesh Yadav, the BJP has named former SP leader-turned UP minister Jaiveer Singh as its candidate. Additionally, in Ballia, the party has replaced Virendra Mast with Neeraj Shekhar, son of former Prime Minister Chandrashekhar, who previously belonged to the Samajwadi Party.

Ghazipur, however, remains a focal point of attention due to the closely contested nature of the previous elections and the recent political developments in the region. With the election drawing near, all eyes are on Rai and Ansari as they prepare to engage in a high-stakes electoral battle for the Ghazipur Lok Sabha seat.

In addition to finalizing its own candidates, the BJP has also allotted seats to its allies in Uttar Pradesh, with Ghosi Lok Sabha seat reserved for its ally SBSP, and Baghpat and Bijnor Lok Sabha seats in western Uttar Pradesh allocated to the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD). Moreover, the party is expected to assign two seats to Apna Dal (S) and at least one seat to the Nishad Party, bolstering its electoral alliances in the state.