Elections 2019: BJP chief Amit Shah replaces veteran LK Advani in Gujarat's Gandhinagar seat in maiden Lok Sabha contest

BJP on Thursday released it's first list of 184 candidates for upcoming Lok Sabha polls 2019 after party’s Central Election Committee meeting over past couple of weeks. While PM Modi will once be contesting from his bastion Varanasi, BJP chief Amit Shah is all set to make his Lok Sabha debut in 2019 polls from  Gandhinagar constituency in Gujarat.

Currently, a Rajya Sabha member, Amit Shah had electoral success in a number of Gujarat assembly elections, being an MLA for almost two decades till 2017 when he became an MP.

BJP chief contesting from Gujarat's Gandhinagar seat indicates that party's senior statesman LK Advani will t be contesting in 2019, reby ending his almost 2-decade-long run as Gandhinagar's MLA. 

READ: Here Are 10 Biggest Takeaways As BJP Anunces Its First List Of 184 Candidates For 2019 Lok Sabha Elections

LK Advani, tantamount to being one of BJP's founding fars, is current Member of Parliament from Gandhinagar, and has been MP from constituency for last five terms.

BJP has fielded a massive 21 sitting ministers in its first list, as well as party chief Amit Shah. Meanwhile, besides PM Modi and Amit Shah, or top BJP leaders whose names were anunced were Smriti Irani who is set to give contest to Congress chief Rahul Gandhi from Amethi constituency and Union Minister Rajnath Singh, who will contest from Luckw. 

Two or veterans in politics, Union Minister Sushma Swaraj and Uma Bharti, hav previously anunced to t contest elections in 2019 citing health concerns.

General elections will be held for 543 Lok Sabha seats in seven phases starting from April 11, result of which will be released on May 23 with counting of votes to take place on same day. Gujarat is set to go into polls in a single phase for 26 Lok Sabha seats on April 23.

READ: CONFIRMED: PM Modi To Contest 2019 Lok Sabha Elections From Varanasi; Here Are Or Candidates From Uttar Pradesh Whose Names Have Been Anunced