Lok Sabha polls: BJP shortlists candidates for J&K
The list of probable candidates has been forwarded to the party's head office
The list of probable candidates has been forwarded to the party's head office
The list of probable candidates has been forwarded to the party's head office
The list of probable candidates has been forwarded to the party's head office
The Jammu and Kashmir BJP has finalised its list of candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, focusing on three crucial seats in Kashmir. The list of probable candidates has been forwarded to the party's head office, where the parliamentary affairs panel will soon make the final decision.
According to reliable information, for the Central Kashmir constituency comprising Srinagar and Budgam districts, the party has shortlisted Darakshan Andrabi, Altaf Thakur, Ashok Bhat, and Arif Raja.
In the North Kashmir seat, which includes the districts of Baramulla, Kupwara, and Bandipora, potential candidates include Anwar Khan, Surinder Ambardar, and Fakir Muhammad Khan.
In the Anantnag-Rajouri constituency, J&K BJP chief Ravinder Raina has expressed his interest in contesting.
Former MLC Shehnaz Ganai, who recently joined the BJP in New Delhi, is also a strong probable candidate. Ganai's chances of getting the mandate for the constituency are higher, given the support her family commands in the area due to her father's legacy.
She joined the BJP after the party granted Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to Paharis in Jammu and Kashmir. Her joining the BJP has boosted the party's chances in Rajouri-Poonch districts, also known as the Pir Panjal region and which has a significant Pahari population.
The BJP leadership in J&K is maintaining regular communication with the party leadership in New Delhi. The list of candidates has been submitted to the parliamentary panel of the BJP, and a final decision is expected soon to allow candidates sufficient time for campaigning.
The BJP in J&K aims to secure all three seats in Kashmir, including the Anantnag -Rajouri one.
In the last Lok Sabha polls, the party had won two seats in Jammu and the lone seat in Ladakh. More influential individuals are expected to join the party in the coming days, further strengthening its position against rivals.
For the two seats in Jammu, candidate selection is ongoing, with the names expected to be finalised soon and sent to the parliamentary affairs panel of the BJP in New Delhi.
In the Kathua-Udhampur Lok Sabha seat, MoS in PMO and incumbent MP Dr Jitendra Singh is likely to be re-nominated. For the Jammu seat, there is a possibility of incumbent MP Jugal Kishore being replaced. Former J&K assembly speaker Kavinder Gupta and Devender Singh Rana are the two main contenders for the seat.