New Delhi, Nov 10, 2022, IANS

New Delhi, Nov 10 (IANS) A meeting of BJP's Central Election Committee was held on Wednesday at the party headquarters in New Delhi for the upcoming Assembly elections in Gujarat scheduled to be held in two phases on December 1 and 5.

The CEC discussed and decided the names of 182 party candidates for the Gujarat polls. According to sources, the BJP is likely to release its first list of candidates for the Gujarat Assembly polls on Thursday.

Chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the meeting was attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Gujarat BJP Chief C.R. Patil, BJP National President J.P. Nadda, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Union Minister Bhupender Yadav and former Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa, among others.

After former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and former Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, including several veteran leaders opted not to contest the state polls on their own, it is expected that BJP's candidates' list will include young party leaders this time as compared to the last state Assembly elections.

According to sources, in the marathon meetings held on Wednesday, it has been decided not to give party tickets to several other veteran leaders and induct young party leaders.

After concluding meeting of the Central Election Committee, Union Home Minister Shah also held a separate meeting with the Gujarat Chief Minister and Gujarat BJP Chief.

According to sources, the BJP is likely to announce the names of candidates to be chosen for 89 Assembly seats in the state for the first phase of election to be held on December 1 including nearly 100 candidates.

Polling is to be held on 89 Assembly seats in the state on December 1 and 93 seats on December 5. The last date for nominations for 89 assembly constituencies in the first phase of elections in the state is November 14 and November 17 is the last date for nominations for the 93 assembly seats to be held in the second phase on December 5.