||Black and White Digital News||

||Tejveer Singh ||01,September ||

Jammu : With the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir approaching fast, political tensions are rising within the Congress party. Despite the Election Commission issuing a notification for the second phase of elections, the Congress high command has yet to finalize its candidates. In contrast, the BJP, after initially withdrawing its list, has already announced its candidates with minor changes for both the second and third phases.

Sources within Congress reveal that indecision is rife within the party. The leadership, wary of internal rebellion and potential backlash, has opted to delay releasing the candidate list until the eleventh hour before the filing of nominations. A similar move had been undertaken by the BJP, and now Congress fears it might face a similar revolt if names are made public prematurely.

Almost all ticket aspirants within the Congress are currently stationed in New Delhi, lobbying hard to secure their place on the party’s final list. Initially, there was an expectation that the names for the second and third phases would be announced by August 30. However, this announcement was delayed without any formal explanation from the party. Highly placed sources now indicate that the candidate list will be released within the next day or two, likely just before the September 5 nomination filing deadline.

According to insiders, the Congress leadership’s reluctance stems from its fear of creating unrest within its ranks. By releasing the list at the last minute, the party hopes to minimize the chances of dissident candidates breaking away or voicing public dissent before nominations are closed. The situation echoes the BJP’s recent candidate list issues, where internal strife had led to minor adjustments.

The Election Commission has already set clear timelines for the upcoming election phases. For the second phase, candidates must file their nominations by September 5, with scrutiny scheduled for September 6. The final date for withdrawal of candidatures is September 9. The elections in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir are set to begin in the third week of September, making the next few days critical for political parties to solidify their positions.

This situation puts Congress in a precarious position, with its indecisiveness likely to cause further friction among its already fragmented base. As ticket hopefuls scramble for confirmation, the party’s delayed strategy may either mitigate rebellion or stoke further dissent, leading to a deeply uncertain future as the Assembly elections approach.