BJP may not contest LS seats

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 15: BJP is unlikely to field its candidates for two Lok Sabha constituencies in Kashmir valley for by-elections next month.
According to highly placed party sources, the BJP will not filed its candidates for the Parliamentary constituency of Srinagar-Budgam for which by-elections are to be held on April 9 and Parliamentary constituency of Anantnag and Pulwama, which is going to polls on March 12.
The Party had, however, earlier in its Election Committee meeting held here on Monday decided to field its candidates for two Lok Sabha seats and in this regard senior party leaders had left for Srinagar on the same day to hold consultations with party leaders in Valley.
Even the party State president Sat Sharma also visited Kashmir to join other leaders to ascertain the views of Party leadership of Valley in this regard and he is likely to be joined by BJP incharge J&K and national vice president of party Avinash Rai Khanna, who will reach here tomorrow morning. After meeting the party leaders here, Khanna will visit Srinagar in the afternoon.
However, party sources said that despite the efforts of State leadership to field its candidates for two Lok Sabha seats, the party was unlikely to contest the by-elections in view of the displeasure shown by its alliance partner about the same.
When contacted, BJP State president, Sat Sharma who is camping in Srinagar told Excelsior that party has not decided the candidates as yet and only it was ascertaining the views of the Valley leadership in this regard to submit a report to High Command, which will take the final decision whether party should field its candidates or not.

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