BJP Likely to announce first list of candidates on Nov 2

 'Many old guards may face axe'   

PS BALI

Jammu, Oct 30: Many senior leaders of  Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) may face  axe as the party has decided to field new faces in upcoming assembly elections, sources said.

According to sources, the state unit is waiting for the directions from the center to announce its list of candidates for the upcoming elections, ‘which may possibly be released by November 2.

They said that the selection of candidates for the  state polls  would be based on the calculations of the party president, Amit Shah.

“The party head at New Delhi is conducting survey in the state to select the right candidate for the right constituency, which probably might oust veterans, who have failed to perform better in the last assembly elections,” said sources.

They added that the reports about the replacement of veteran leaders with new faces are rife and many sitting MLAs and former contestants    may be denied ticket to pave way for new faces, including fresh entrants in the party.

“Senior leaders and sitting MLAs including MLA Reasi, Baldev Raj Sharma, MLA Raipura-Domana  Bharat Bhushan and MLA RS Pura Dr Garu Ram Bhagat are likely  to be replaced by new faces,” said sources, adding that new faces are certainly to be introduced in the three constituencies of the Jammu city, viz Jammu west, Jammu east and Gandhi Nagar.

Sources said that party national president Amit Shah wants “functional” faces for the elections, who would be introduced in the areas where   BJP has failed to make its presence.

Talking to Greater Kashmir, Kavinder Gupta, General Secretary BJP said that the final decision in selection of candidates for assembly polls lie with the high command.

“Several new faces are making rounds, as high command has conducted survey in the state to find out possibilities of contesting with old leaders,” he said, adding that after pilot study, it was realized that need has arisen to replace few faces for the betterment of the party.

When asked about the yesterday’s protest by disgruntled BJP leaders, general secretary said that the ‘fertile imagination’ of supporters of those leaders evoked them to protest, “As till now no individual in the party has been intimated about the decision of high command,” he said.