UP polls: Rajnath Singh's son, Rita Bahuguna in BJP's second list of 155 candidates

Delhi: The BJP on Sunday released its second list of 155 candidates for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls.

The party fielded Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh's son Pankaj Singh from Noida and Rita Bahuguna (former Congress leader who joined BJP last year) from Lucknow Cantt.

On the other hand, Siddharth Nath Singh will contest from Allahabad West and Garima Singh from Amethi.

The candidates were announced by its general secretary Arun Singh and Uttar Pradesh unit chief Keshav Prasad Maurya.

The candidates were finalised by the central election committee at a meeting presided over by president Amit Shah.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and senior cabinet ministers attended the meeting.

The BJP has till now declared 304 of the 403 candidates.

Second List of BJP candidates for legislative assembly elections, 2017 of Uttar Pradesh finalised by BJP CEC. https://t.co/NzpGFK91g7 — BJP (@BJP4India) January 22, 2017

.@BJP4India releases second list of 155 candidates for Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. #UPElection2017 pic.twitter.com/BZArQqqvab — BJP LIVE (@BJPLive) January 22, 2017

contd.. @BJP4India releases second list of 155 candidates for Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. #UPElection2017 pic.twitter.com/lS7LF6EnL8 — BJP LIVE (@BJPLive) January 22, 2017

On January 16, the BJP had released the first list of 149 candidates with former UP BJP chief Laxmikant Vajpayee, grandson of former CM Kalyan Singh and the party's national secretary Shrikant Sharma getting tickets.

Vajpayee has been fielded from Meerut, from where he is the sitting MLA, Singh's grandson Sandeep Singh and Sharma will make their maiden entry in electoral fray from Atrauli and Mathura respectively.

The party retained sitting MLAs, including Sangeet Som and Suresh Rana, both accused in Muzaffarnagar riot cases, dismissed as a conspiracy by them, in the list.

Seven-phase polls for the 403 seats are taking place in UP on February 11, 15, 19, 23, 27, March 4 and 8.

(With Agency inputs)