BJP finalizes candidates for most of seats of Phase I and II

Neeraj Rohmetra
JAMMU, Oct 28: Unlike Congress which has decided to repeat its all sitting Ministers and MLAs, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which was making a strong bid for power for the first time in Jammu and Kashmir, has decided to review performance of its all 10 sitting MLAs before taking a decision on repeating them in the Assembly elections, the process for which was set into motion by the Election Commission today.
The BJP, whose campaign will be spearheaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and top Union Ministers, will be releasing its list of candidates for first two phases on November 1 or 2 after party’s senior leaders including national president Amit Shah are free from oath ceremony of Devendra Fadnavis as Maharashtra Chief Minister.
Top party sources told the Excelsior that the party has finalized the panel of candidates for first two phases of Assembly elections and would be announcing names of the candidates most likely on November 1 or 2. November 5 is last date for filing of nomination papers for first phase of elections while November 14 is last date for nominations for second phase.
In first phase, Doda, Ramban, Kishtwar, Leh, Kargil, Bandipora and Ganderbal districts will go to polls while in second phase, Udhampur, Reasi, Poonch, Kupwara and Kulgam districts will have elections.
The BJP has decided to field Tsering Dorjey, former Chief Executive Council (CEC) of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh from Leh Assembly constituency. Dorjey had represented Leh Assembly segment in 1996 on Congress mandate. Dorjey among others will face Urban Development Minister and Congress candidate Nawang Rigzin Jora.
Sources said the BJP top leadership has decided to review performance of all 10 sitting MLAs before taking a decision on repeating them or changing candidates in their segments. BJP had 11 MLAs but it has expelled Prof Chaman Lal Gupta, MLA Jammu West. Recently, two times JSM MLA from Bishnah Ashwani Sharma had joined the BJP.
The BJP decision comes in the wake of reports that some of the party MLAs were facing anti-incumbency against them as their performance was not satisfactory. The party didn’t rule out denying mandate to some of the sitting MLAs.
Sources said it was in this context that the BJP has not cleared the name of Baldev Raj Sharma, MLA Reasi so far even as Reasi will go to polls in second phase. In first two phases of elections, BJP holds only one seat of Reasi. The BJP will repeat only those MLAs, whose performance is found satisfactory.
The BJP has decided to field prominent Congress leader RS Pathania from Ramnagar against Panthers Party heavyweight and three times MLA Harshdev Singh, who is also former Minister. In Ganderbal seat held by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, the BJP has named Sheikh Rashid as its candidate.
For Kishtwar Assembly segment, BJP has cleared Sunil Sharma, who among others will face MoS Home and NC candidate Sajjad Ahmad Kitchloo and PDP nominee Firdous Tak. Congress is yet to name its candidates for all the seats. The BJP has decided to field Tariq Keen from Inderwal, who had joined the party after resigning from the Congress. Congress MLA Ghulam Mohammad Saroori is sitting MLA from Inderwal.
The party has named Dileep Parihar and Shakti Parihar from Bhaderwah and Doda Assembly seats respectively. Mohammad Sharief Niaz and Abdul Mujeed Wani, both Congress, are sitting MLAs from the two constituencies. In Banihal, the BJP has prepared panel of two candidates including Showkat Daing and Thakur Hari Om while in Ramban (reserve) seat, it has shortlisted three candidates including Girdhari Lal, Neelam Langeh and Pyar Chand. Banihal and Ramban are also represented by Congress presently.
In Udhampur segment, BJP has shortlisted Pawan Gupta and Pawan Khajuria for the mandate while in Chenani (reserve) seat, it has decided to field Dina Nath Bhagat. Udhampur seat is presently held by NPP MLA Balwant Singh Mankotia and Chenani by Congress MLA Krishan Chand Bhagat.
For Poonch Assembly segment, the BJP has approved the name of Pradeep Sharma and shortlisted Taj Khan and Manzoor Manhas from Surankote Assembly seat while in Mendhar, Zulfikar and Siddiqui have been taken in the panel of two candidates.
The BJP has decided to field Dr Hina Bhat in Amirakadal and Sofi Yousuf Mohammad from Pahalgam.
It has shortlisted the names of Kabla Singh and Balkar Singh for Gool-Arnas Assembly segment and Mohammad Israel, a Gujjar leader and Pardeep Kumar for Gulabgarh constituency of Reasi district.

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