Rajnath Singh and Lalji Tandon; their sons Pankaj (extreme left) and Ashutosh (extreme right). File Rajnath Singh and Lalji Tandon; their sons Pankaj (extreme left) and Ashutosh (extreme right). File

The BJP is likely to announce on Sunday almost half of its tickets for the Uttar Pradesh elections. The list may include candidates for the first two phases of the staggered elections and feature most of the legislators. Relatives of some top leaders are likely to be on the list as well even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi had advised against it recently.

BJP sources said that Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh’s son, Amit Singh alias Pankaj Singh, is seeking ticket to contest from Noida. He has indicated that Sahibabad in Ghaziabad district will be comfortable for him. Other leaders seeking tickets for their kin include Lok Sabha MP Hukum Singh. The MP from Kairana wants a ticket for his daughter Mrigyanka Singh from Kairana Assembly seat.

Followers of Union minister Kalraj Mishra’s son, Amit Mishra, had put posters in his favour recently in Lucknow. It is believed that Amit wants to contest the elections. Top leader Lalji Tandon’s MLA son, Ashutosh, is likely to contest again, while Rita Bahuguna Joshi, who joined BJP after quitting Congress recently, is trying to have her son, Mayank, nominated.

Sources said that Swami Prasad Maurya, who recently joined BJP from BSP, is seeking tickets for his son Utkrishta and daughter Sanghmitra. Moradabad MP Sarvesh Singh is reportedly seeking a ticket for son Sudhansu or wife Sadhna.

Bhairon Prasad Mishra, the MP from Banda, is seeking a ticket for nephew Prakash from Karvi. Rekha Verma, MP from Dhaurehra (SC), is reportedly seeking a ticket for her niece. On the other hand, Amroha MP Kanwar Singh Tanwar is trying to get a ticket for son Mehar from Garhmukteshwar.

Etah MP Rajveer Singh, son of the Rajasthan Governor, is also reportedly seeking a ticket for wife Premlata or son from Dibai in Bulandshahar. Abhishek Pal, son of Domariaganj MP Jagdambika Pal, is also in the ticket aspirant list.

Sources said that BJP functionaries in the state were flooded with requests for tickets for relatives of the party men, forcing Modi to advice against it. “At least three dozen party MPs and several other leaders have tried very hard to get tickets for their relatives,’’ a top state BJP leader told The Sunday Express. “Relatives of some leaders have sought (tickets on) their own while other have put pressure through RSS pracharaks and other party leaders.”

The party has authorised state chief Keshav Prasad Maurya to recommend names for tickets to the central leadership, which is meeting on Sunday to finalise 200 candidates. “The party decides tickets based on winability…,” BJP spokesman Shrikant Sharma insisted.

The BJP has always been critical of dynasty politics. Modi targeted Uttar Pradesh’s ruling Samajwadi Party over it at a rally in Lucknow on January 2.

📣 The Indian Express is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@indianexpress) and stay updated with the latest headlines

For all the latest Elections News, download Indian Express App.