Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Dec 24: The BJP has significantly improved its position in Udhampur-Doda Lok Sabha constituency but had to face some drubbing on Jammu-Poonch Parliamentary seat in the Assembly elections as compared to Parliament elections held in April this year.
The BJP had leads in 25 Assembly constituencies in Lok Sabha elections including 24 in Jammu region and one in Leh. The party won 25 seats in the Assembly elections also. Though it gained three additional seats in Udhampur-Doda constituency, it lost two in Jammu seat and one in Leh.
Of 24 seats of Jammu, the party led in 15 constituencies of Jammu-Poonch Lok Sabha seat, which was won by the state president Jugal Kishore Sharma and 9 segments of Udhampur Doda-Lok Sabha seat, which was captured by Dr Jitendra Singh, Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in Parliamentary polls held in April this year.
An analysis of the Assembly results declared yesterday by the Election Commission revealed that the BJP improved its leads in Udhampur-Doda Lok Sabha constituency from nine seats to 12 but contrary to it the BJP leads went down from 15 seats to 13 in Jammu-Poonch Parliamentary seat.
“Like Udhampur-Doda seat, the improvement of leads on Jammu-Poonch Lok Sabha seat or even maintaining leads in 15 seats would have taken the BJP to single largest party,’’ political observers said. The BJP fell short by just three seats to become the second largest party in the Assembly in Jammu and Kashmir as it secured 25 seats as against 28 of the PDP.
Dr Jitendra Singh had gained leads in nine out of 17 Assembly constituencies of Udhampur-Doda Lok Sabha seat in Parliamentary polls. The constituencies, where he had gained leads, included Ramnagar, Chenani, Udhampur, Reasi, Kathua, Hiranagar, Bani, Basohli and Billawar.
However, in the Assembly elections, the BJP won four additional Assembly seats in Udhampur-Doda Lok Sabha constituency, all of which fall in Chenab Valley. They were Kishtwar, Doda, Bhaderwah and Ramban. However, it lost Udhampur seat to Independent Pawan Gupta, which was mainly attributed to mischief and conspiracy of BJP state president Jugal Kishore Sharma and another senior party leader, who pressed the party high command to deny mandate to Gupta, resulting into the BJP defeat by a huge margin at the hands of Gupta.
Sources said the State BJP leadership not only lost Udhampur but also Nagrota, Bishnah and Rajouri seats. While Jugal Kishore compelled the party high command to give seat to his novice brother, Nand Kishore Sharma in Nagrota, the party failed to read situation in Bishnah and took no corrective measures to win the seat. In Rajouri, the party leadership failed to get the rebel Yogesh Sharma withdrawn from the seat leading to loss of another seat.
The BJP had led in 15 Assembly constituencies out of total of 20 falling in Jammu-Poonch Lok Sabha seat in April elections. The seat was won by Jugal Kishore Sharma. However, the party lead was reduced to 13 as it lost Nagrota and Bishnah Assembly seats to the National Conference.
“Instead of improving the tally from 15, the BJP lost two seats in Jammu-Poonch but it gained three in Udhampur-Doda. Even if the BJP had maintained lead in 15 seats and gained another, it would have been easily the single largest party on its own,’’ the observers said.
In Parliamentary elections, BJP had gained leads in all 13 seats of Jammu and Samba districts and two in Rajouri district in Jammu-Poonch seat. In Assembly elections, the party maintained hold over both seats of Samba and two of Rajouri but lost two of 11 in Jammu.
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