Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Feb 13: BJP Core Group which met here this morning to shortlist the names of candidates for Legislative Council (LC) elections, to be held on March 2, submitted a list of about a dozen candidates to Party High Command for five Upper House seats out of the 100 representations received by the Party for these seats.
According to reliable Party sources, two to three names each have been short listed in seven notifications for five seats by the Party’s Core Group here, today and submitted to Party High Command for final selection.
The meeting was held at the residence of BJP State general secretary and MLA Gandhi Nagar, Kavinder Gupta and among others it was attended by Party national Executive member and MLA Billawar, Dr Nirmal Singh, former State president and MP (Rajya Sabha) Shamsher Singh Manhas, Party general secretary (org) Ashok Kaul, Party State general secretaries and MLAs, Bali Bhagat and Rajiv Jasrotia.
Sources said that Party has received representation from about 100 persons and out of them a dozen names were short-listed and submitted to High Command for finalization.
Sources said while giving mandate to candidates for Upper House the main consideration will be to give representation to unrepresented areas like Rajouri and Poonch districts.
Sources said that party has devised a policy in this regard besides the unrepresented areas the communities which have no representatives in the Assembly will also be given priority while giving mandate to candidates for LC seats.
Sources said out of five seats which BJP will contest three seats are from Jammu region and one each from Kashmir and Ladakh regions.
Sources said the names were recommended to Party High Command after a thorough discussion by members of Core Committee.
Moreover, the Core Committee also discussed the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) for Government formation with PDP and reiterated its stand on core issues of the Party like AFSPA, citizenship rights to West Pak refugees, custodian issue and party’s stand on Article 370.
Sources said formation of Government is in pipeline and structured dialogue with PDP has already begun. On the contentious issues both parties are working to find out a middle path, sources added.
Sources said Party High Command has to take a final decision on settlement of the CMP and they are keeping cards close to their chest.
Sources said some of the Core Committee members also suggested that BJP should bargain on more seats of Lower House from PDP as Party got only one MP seat while PDP won two seats in just concluded Rajya Sabha elections.
Sources, however, said four members of Core Group including State president and MP Jugal Kishore Sharma, Union Minister in PMO, Dr Jitendra Singh, MP from Ladakh, Thupstan Chewang and ex President Ashok Khajuria were not present in the meeting. Though Mr Khajuria being aspirant could not attend the meeting but presence of other three members was must.
Moreover, Election Committee and not Core Group was appropriate forum for shortlisting of candidates, sources added.
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