Maneka Gandhi to Contest From Sultanpur, Son Varun From Pilibhit

File photo of Varun Gandhi and Maneka Gandhi.

(Photo: PTI)

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) named Union Minister Maneka Gandhi as its candidate from Sultanpur constituency and Varun Gandhi as its candidate from Pilibhit as it announced the name of 29 of its candidates from Uttar Pradesh.

Maneka is currently the sitting MP of Pilibhit, while Varun is a sitting MP from Sultanpur seat.

BJP General Secretary Arun Singh announced that Union minister Manoj Sinha has been fielded from Ghazipur, a seat he had won in 2014, and UP government ministers Rita Bahuguna Joshi and Satyadev Pachauri from prestigious Allahabad and Kanpur seats respectively.

Joshi, 85, had won from Kanpur in 2014 but was told by the party leadership that he would not be fielded in the coming elections. The party has not given the ticket to veterans like Murli Manohar Joshi, LK Advani, BC Khanduri and Kalraj Mishra among others.

Actor politician Jaya Prada was fielded from Rampur, hours after she joined the party Tuesday. UP BJP president Mahendra Nath Pandey has been repeated from Chandauli, Singh said.

The BJP also announced its 10 candidates from West Bengal.

(With inputs from PTI)