Drops Ex Deputy chief ministers Nirmal Singh, Kavinder Gupta, Ex minister Sat Sharma.

Outsiders; Davinder Singh Rana, Surjit Singh Slathia and Sham Lal Sharma sail through easily.

Big Jatt Stalwarts of BJP Sham Choudhary, Vikram Randhawa & Sukhnandan Choudhary also excluded from the list.

Ravinder Raina also struggling to find berth.

||Black and White Digital News||

||Tejveer Singh August 26, 2024||

JAMMU : In a bold and calculated move ahead of the much-anticipated Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has unveiled its first list of candidates, signaling a shift in its electoral strategy. The list of 44 candidates, announced by the party and accessed by us, highlights a significant reshuffling of familiar political faces, including the surprising exclusion of former Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh and ex-Minister Sat Sharma.

Despite the BJP’s claims of inclusivity, the party’s candidate list for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls has come under sharp criticism for overlooking key communities and limiting women’s representation. The Jat community has been notably sidelined, with no significant representation, and women’s empowerment appears to be more rhetoric than reality, as only one woman, from Kishtwar, has been given a ticket.

Among the Scheduled Castes, preference has been given exclusively to the Bhagats, while the Batwals and Chamars have been ignored. Meanwhile, Brahmins and Rajputs have been prominently featured on the list, raising concerns about favoritism. Unconfirmed reports suggest that internal pressure from a prominent Jat leader, whose brother runs a major media house in Jammu, may have influenced the decision to reconsider and possibly quash the initial list altogether.

The party’s decisions on the list of candidates seem to be driven by a tactical pivot toward new constituencies and untapped voter demographics.

In an unexpected turn of events, the BJP has decided to drop Nirmal Singh, the former Deputy CM who secured a win from Billawar in the 2014 elections. In his place, the party has put its faith in Satish Sharma, signaling a shift in the leadership dynamic within the Billawar constituency. Similarly, Sat Sharma, a seasoned party stalwart who represented Jammu West, has been replaced by Arvind Gupta, an emerging political figure, as the party seeks to rejuvenate its electoral prospects with fresh faces.

What stands out the most in this list, however, is the BJP’s strategic outreach to the influential Sikh voter base. In a bid to secure a strong foothold in constituencies with a sizable Sikh population, the party has fielded Dr. Narendra Singh from RS Pura-Jammu South. The move to drop the heavyweights like Kavinder Gupta and Sham Choudhary, both of whom were expected to be frontrunners, in favor of Dr. Singh is seen as a direct effort to appeal to Sikh voters, a crucial segment in Jammu’s political landscape.

The Sikh community, historically known for its organized voting patterns, has often played a pivotal role in the electoral outcomes of Jammu and Kashmir. By positioning Dr. Narendra Singh, the BJP aims to not only capture this vital vote bank but also project itself as a party committed to inclusive representation. This maneuver is particularly important as the BJP seeks to consolidate its support in the Jammu region, which has a significant Sikh population, while also countering regional parties that have traditionally held sway over this community.

The party’s list also underscores the entry of several high-profile candidates, such as Davinder Singh Rana, brother of Union Minister Jitender Singh, who will contest from Nagrota. In the ST reserved seat of Budhal, the party has fielded Chowdhary Zulfikar Ali, a recent entrant into the BJP fold, signaling the party’s outreach to marginalized communities.

BJP’s list reflects a clear blend of old hands and new faces across regions, with Syed Showkat Gayoor being fielded from Pampore, Arshid Bhat from Rajpora, and Javid Qadri from Shopian. For the critical seat of Anantnag, Advocate Wazahat has been named as the party’s face, while Sofi Yousuf will contest from Bijbehara-Srigufwara. This strategy of mixing experience with new political players appears to be part of a broader electoral calculus designed to appeal to diverse voter segments across the union territory.

The replacement of veterans with newer, lesser-known candidates is a move that could either reinvigorate the party’s standing or alienate long-time supporters of these former leaders. By taking the risk of dropping political heavyweights like Nirmal Singh and Sat Sharma, the BJP appears confident in its ability to forge ahead with a new wave of leaders who can galvanize the voter base in key constituencies.

As per the details available, the party’s candidate lineup also includes influential figures such as Sunil Sharma for Padder-Nagsani, Dilip Singh for Bhaderwah, Shakti Raj Parihar for Doda West, and Randhir Singh from Kalakote-Sunderbani, each carefully selected to strengthen the BJP’s prospects in these regions. This regional spread underscores the BJP’s determination to penetrate deeply into various districts, ensuring that no constituency is overlooked.

In Jammu East, the party has chosen Yudhvir Sethi, while Sham Lal Sharma will contest from Jammu North. Mohan Lal Baghat will vie for the Akhnoor seat, and Rajiv Sharma has been fielded from Chhamb.

In a surprising twist, several political outsiders have effortlessly sailed through the BJP’s candidate selection for the Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls, securing key mandates. Figures like Davinder Singh Rana, Surjit Singh Slathia, Balwant Mankotia, Sham Lal Sharma, Arun Gupta, and Arvind Gupta were given tickets with ease, while veteran leaders were shown the exit door. Notably, even party stalwarts like Ravinder Raina and Ashok Koul have reportedly faced challenges in getting the green light in the first list. Tarun Chugh, the BJP’s national general secretary, has emerged as the master strategist, appearing to be the true decider and Chanakya of the J&K BJP’s political future.

This array of candidates reflects the BJP’s intention to maintain a strong grip on urban and rural constituencies alike, ensuring a balanced approach across diverse electoral regions.

This election could prove to be a defining moment for the BJP’s aspirations in Jammu and Kashmir. With new faces emerging and a strategic push towards capturing the Sikh vote, the BJP is positioning itself as a party of inclusivity and renewal. Whether these calculated moves will pay off in the upcoming polls remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the BJP is pulling out all stops to secure its place in the political future of Jammu and Kashmir.

Kavinder Gupta

Vikram Randhawa