Lok Sabha Election 2024: Confident BJP adopts a cautious approach, say experts

Kidwai emphasised the party's recognition of the Congress-AAP alliance in Delhi, prompting a proactive approach to counter potential threats. He suggests that the BJP's confidence in "Modi magic" and various schemes doesn't translate into complacency. Instead, the party appears keen on minimising risks and securing a third consecutive term.

“BJP has taken note of the Congress-AAP alliance in Delhi and they have realised that the demographic profiles of some of the constituencies is such that it cannot take things for granted. This is the hallmark of the entire BJP list. Look at Uttar Pradesh's list, it is extremely cautious, they have not experimented much. However, in Delhi, they realised that the Congress-AAP alliance is there, the threat is real and they don't want to lose anything. So, they have changed people. Similarly, if we see Kerala and some other places, the BJP has allowed itself to experiment, but they are not experimenting in Uttar Pradesh. So while the BJP is very confident of Modi's magic, and all kinds of schemes, Ram Mandir, etc, they are not leaving anything to chance. BJP realises they're going for a third term, and it's not an easy thing to get. So therefore, they are very cautious,” Kidwai stated this in an interview with CNBC-TV18.

The exclusion of controversial MPs like Pragya Thakur and Ramesh Bhiduri from the first list highlights the BJP's effort to present a cleaner image. A total of 34 union ministers found a place among the announced candidates; these include Mansukh Mandaviya, Bhupender Yadav, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Sarbanand Sonowal, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, among others.

Aditi Phadnis, Political Editor at Business Standard, highlights intriguing electoral dynamics in Guna, where current aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia replaces KP Yadav, despite the latter winning the seat by a significant margin in the previous election. The unfolding events in Bengal, where the BJP ranks second in a considerable number of contested seats, add further suspense to the electoral landscape.

Notable developments also include former Union Minister Harsh Vardhan's decision to quit politics after being left off the initial candidate list. Additionally, Bhojpuri actor Pawan Singh, initially nominated for West Bengal's Asansol seat, has opted out of the race.

Meanwhile, cricketer-turned-politician Gautam Gambhir and Jayant Sinha had earlier tweeted that they would like to sit out and not contest the polls.