Amit Shah, Yogi Adityanath in BJP meeting over Uttar Pradesh polls

Home Minister Amit Shah and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath attended a key BJP meeting here on Tuesday as the party shortlists its probable candidates for the initial phases of the state assembly polls before its Central Election Committee meeting to finalise the names.

Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya and UP BJP chief Swatantra Dev Singh also attended the meeting besides several other leaders with its national president J P Nadda, who has contracted coronavirus, attending it virtually.

Official sources said the party's campaign, especially in view of the Election Commission's decision to ban rallies and roadshows due to surging Covid cases till January 15, also came up for discussion besides various other aspects of its strategy.

With the filing of nomination for the first phase of the seven-phase Uttar Pradesh polls set to begin from January 14, the party's CEC is likely to meet later this week to finalise the names of candidates, the sources said.

Polls will be held in 58 seats in the first phase on February 10 and in 55 in the second phase on February 14, and the BJP is likely to announce the names of most of its candidates for these constituencies soon.