Srinagar, Aug 21: Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) is likely to contest independently in Jammu and may lend support to certain independent candidates in the Kashmir Valley.
Jammu and Kashmir is gearing up for its much-anticipated Assembly elections, the first since the region was reconstituted as a Union Territory in 2019 and the first in a decade.
The elections are scheduled to be conducted in three phases on September 18, 25, and October 1, with the vote counting set for October 4.
Sources told a news agency that the BJP has opted to contest alone in Jammu but is considering backing independent candidates in some constituencies in Kashmir.
A senior BJP leader confirmed the party’s approach, stating, “The BJP will not enter into a pre-poll alliance with any political party in Jammu and Kashmir. In the Kashmir Valley, we are currently in discussions with around 10 independent candidates.”
The BJP’s electoral strategy in Jammu and Kashmir will emphasize its achievements since 2019, particularly the abrogation of Article 370. The party argues that this move has initiated a new phase of development, benefiting various communities such as the Gujjar Bakarwals, Scheduled Castes (SCs), West Pakistan refugees, and women. The BJP is expected to highlight these developments during its campaign, alongside infrastructure projects like the inauguration of AIIMS and the expansion of rail connectivity to Kashmir.
In the 2014 Assembly elections, the BJP secured 25 seats, all in Jammu, while the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) won 28 seats, mainly in the Kashmir Valley. Following the recent delimitation, the total number of seats in Jammu and Kashmir has increased to 114, with 24 reserved for Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. The remaining 90 seats are divided between Jammu (43) and Kashmir (47). (With KINS inputs)
