New Delhi, Jan 13 (IANS): BJP's Central Election Committee (CEC) meeting to select candidates for the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls, concluded on Thursday and the first list is expected to be released on Friday, party sources said.

A total of 172 candidates have been finalised for three of the seven-phased polls in the state.

For the first time, saffron party held a hybrid meeting, which was attended virtually by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Sharma, election in charge and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, General Secretary (organisation) B.L. Santhosh were present at the headquarters in the national capital.

Party national President J.P. Nadda, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Road, Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari attended the meet virtually as they are Covid-19 positive.

Polling for the first, second and third pahse of the polls will be held on February 10, 14 and 20 on 58, 55 and 59 seats in UP.