BJP's central leadership to finalise Gujarat candidates

Ahmedabad: Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is likely to be in New Delhi today for finalisation of candidates for the first phase of Assembly elections. A meeting of Central Election Committee (CEC) of BJP will be held today in New Delhi.[caption id=“attachment_531630” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. PTI[/caption] “Chief Minister Narendra Modi, BJP national vice president and chairman of the election campaign committee Purshottam Rupala, state BJP chief RC Faldu and state BJP general secretary Bhikhubhai Dalsania will remain present at the meeting,” BJP spokesperson Jagdish Bhavsar said in Ahmedabad. Following the notification by the Election Commission on 17 November, filing of nominations has begun. Gujarat Parivartan Party (GPP) of rebel BJP leader and former chief minister Keshubhai Patel is also yet to announce candidates. The last date for filing of nomination is 24 November. Party sources said BJP had almost finalised 87 candidates for the first phase, but announcement would be made at the last moment, to discourage the disgruntled ones from quitting the party and seeking ticket elsewhere. PTI