UP assembly elections: BJP announces first list of candidates; Yogi Adityanath to contest from Gorakhpur

NEW DELHI: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, who is spearheading the BJP's campaign in the state, will contest the upcoming assembly election from Gorakhpur (Urban) seat.
This was announced by BJP's UP in charge Dharmendra Pradhan as the party released the first list of candidates for the first and second phase of elections in the state.

Deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya will contest the elections from Siratu in Prayagraj.
Assembly polls live blog
The BJP announced the names of 107 candidates. In the first list, more than 60 per cent of the names are from the OBC and SC categories. Of the 107 names announced, 63 are sitting MLAs while 20 have been dropped. There are 10 women candidates.

Voting in Gorakhpur will be held in the sixth phase on March 3 while Sirathu will go to polls on February 27.

Earlier, there were speculations that BJP may field Yogi Adityanath from the temple town of Ayodhya or Mathura. However, the BJP finally decided to field him from Gorakhpur, which has been a stronghold of the UP chief minister.

The BJP, which has been stung by exodus of several prominent OBC leaders, has tried to counter its negative impact by giving tickets to as many as 44 candidates from the community in the first list.

Soon after the saffron party announced the list, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav took a dig at Yogi Adityanath and said, "The BJP has sent him back to his home."
Elections for the 403 assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh will be held in seven phases starting February 10.
The polling in Uttar Pradesh will be held on February 10, 14, 20, 23, 27 and March 3 and 7 in seven phases. The counting of votes will take place on March 10.