BJP's central leadership may finalise list of LS candidates for Bengal shortly

Eyeing to win a major chunk of 42 Parliamentary seats in West Bengal, BJP's top leadership in New Delhi is expected to finalise its list of candidates for the state in presence of senior leaders, including state president Dilip Ghosh on Monday.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday announced a seven-phase of poll for West Bengal which the ruling Trinamool Congress said it may cause inconvenience to the people at large for summer as well as the month of Ramzan.

However, BJP state chief Dilip Ghosh welcomed the 7-phase polling, saying the law and order situation in Bengal was not conducive to free and fair poll unless the central forces man the polling booths.

He demanded that all the polling booths should be manned by the central forces, considering the violence which happened during panchayet poll in Bengal last year.

Bengal will witness the longest time of polling for over a month starting from April 11 to May 19 and results are to be declared on May 23.

A BJP source today said the list of party candidates for Bengal is expected to the finalised during the top level meeting in New Delhi this evening.

Besides, party observer for Bengal Kailash Vijayvarigya,  Mr Ghosh, Mukul Roy, Rahul Sinha, Roopa Ganguli and some other senior leaders from the state are expected to take part in the consultation meeting.

Sources said a preliminary list has been readied, which may have some changes in the final stage.

BJP chief Amit Shah has told the state leadership to ensure victory in at least 22 seats from two in 2014 general elections.