The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stirred controversy today with the abrupt release and withdrawal of its Jammu and Kashmir BJP candidate list for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections. Initially, the BJP unveiled a list of 44 candidates for the three-phase election covering 90 Assembly seats. However, the list was swiftly deleted, and a revised version featuring only 15 candidates for the first phase was issued. This revision came after significant backlash from party members and supporters, particularly due to the omission of several key figures.
Missing Names and Internal Rift in Party
The now-withdrawn list notably excluded three prominent Jammu and Kashmir BJP leaders: Jammu and Kashmir BJP President Ravinder Raina, and former Deputy Chief Ministers Nirmal Singh and Kavinder Gupta. Additionally, the list included Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh’s brother, Devendra Rana, who had recently switched allegiance from the National Conference to the BJP. The original list also featured two Kashmiri Pandits and 14 Muslim candidates, alongside several former Congress, National Conference, PDP, and Panthers Party leaders who had joined the BJP.
The omission of key figures led to an eruption of discontent among Jammu and Kashmir BJP supporters. This internal pushback seemingly forced the party to retract the initial list and release a pared-down version featuring only first-phase candidates.
Revised Candidate Lists and Public Reactions
Later in the day, the BJP released a further revised list with just one candidate, Choudhary Roshan Hussain Gujjar, for the Kokernag constituency. This back-and-forth in candidate announcements sparked protests among Jammu and Kashmir BJP BJP workers, who gathered at the party headquarters to express their dissatisfaction. Many were upset over the exclusion of long-serving party members in favour of recent entrants like retired police officer Mohan Lal Bhagat.
Jagadish Bhagat, a former SC Morcha president, voiced his frustration, stating that his 18 years of dedication to the party were overlooked in favour of Bhagat, who joined the BJP only two days prior. Other workers, like Paresh Kumar Sharma, expressed concerns that the retracted list was merely a temporary solution to appease the public, suggesting that the party may still push forward with the same candidates.
Resentment and Potential Rebel Candidates
The discontentment among Jammu and Kashmir BJP workers could have significant implications for the upcoming elections, with many threatening to act as rebels if their concerns are not addressed. This internal strife could undermine the BJP’s position in the highly contested election, where it faces a tripartite battle against the PDP and the National Conference-Congress alliance.
BJP Leadership Responds to Concerns
In response to the growing unrest, Ravinder Raina, the BJP’s Jammu and Kashmir unit president, promised to engage in one-on-one discussions with disillusioned party members. He urged members to uphold the party’s values of order and patriotism, emphasizing that dialogue is the key to resolving the issues at hand.
Jammu and Kashmir’s Assembly elections are scheduled to take place in three phases on September 18, September 25, and October 1. The vote count will be held on October 4. This election marks the first Assembly election in the region since Jammu and Kashmir’s special status was revoked in 2019, and the former state was bifurcated into two Union Territories. One Jammu and Kashmir and other Ladakh.
As the BJP prepares for this significant electoral test, the party’s internal dynamics and candidate selection will play a crucial role in determining its success in Jammu and Kashmir.
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