As Thursday marks the final day for filing nominations for the third phase of Jammu and Kashmir’s Assembly elections, the BJP has confirmed it will contest only 19 seats in the Valley. In a statement released Wednesday evening, the party announced it would not be naming additional candidates for Kashmir.
This decision means the BJP is skipping 28 seats in the Valley, despite earlier assurances from senior leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah that the party would contest all 90 Assembly seats in J&K. Shah had also stated the party’s intention to form the government in the Union territory.
“The BJP has finalised its list of candidates for the Kashmir region. Out of 47 seats, the party will contest 19,” the release said, adding that no further candidates would be announced.
The move has not been well-received by some senior BJP leaders, who feel their contributions have been overlooked in the ticket distribution process. Sources suggest this decision could reinforce feelings of discontent among party members who have long supported the BJP in the Valley, reports The Indian Express.
During a visit to the Valley in May, Shah expressed regret over the BJP’s decision to skip three seats in Kashmir during the Lok Sabha polls, where the party won two seats in Jammu. He had urged party members to prepare for the Assembly elections, asserting the party’s commitment to contest all 90 seats.
While the BJP has not provided a detailed rationale for the shift in strategy, insiders suggest the decision to field only 19 candidates is a tactical one. The party may be focusing on supporting Independent candidates and smaller parties that could challenge “dynastic” political rivals.
BJP candidate Rafiq Wani, campaigning in Anantnag, has claimed that many regional and Independent candidates are aligned with the BJP.
“Engineer Rashid is ours, Sajad Lone too, Altaf Bukhari is also ours, and Nabi Azad (Ghulam Nabi Azad) also. The Independent candidates also belong to us,” he said, as quoted by The Indian Express.
Elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be held in three phases and counting of votes will be on October 8, along with Haryana.