Amit Shah replacing LK Advani is likely to trigger sharp reactions in the political circuit.
The Bharatiya Janata Party today announced its first list of candidates for the national elections.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will contest from Varanasi again and the party's national president Amit Shah has replaced veteran leader LK Advani in Gujarat's Gandhinagar.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh will contest from Lucknow and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari will contest from Nagpur as expected. Union Minister Smriti Irani will take on Rahul Gandhi from Amethi again.
Lok Sabha polls, to be held in seven phases across the country, begin April 11 and the counting of the votes will be held on May 23.
The party, earlier in the day, released its list candidates for the assembly elections in Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.