Srinagar, Aug 26: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Monday announced its first list of 44 candidates for the Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly elections.
The party has dropped two heavyweight leaders – former deputy chief minister Dr. Nirmal Singh and former minister Sat Sharma – from its candidate list.
The BJP’s candidate list features a mix of fresh faces and experienced leaders.
Dr. Nirmal Singh, a seasoned leader who emerged victorious in the 2014 assembly election from Billawar, has been denied a ticket this time around. Instead, the party has chosen Satish Sharma to contest from the same constituency.
In another significant move, Sat Sharma, who previously represented Jammu West, has been dropped from the party’s candidate list. Arvind Gupta has been chosen to replace him, marking a new chapter in the party’s Jammu West chapter.
The former National Conference leader Davinder Singh Rana and new entrant Zulifkar Ali who switched to BJP from PDP and Apni Party will contest from Nagrota and Buddhal constituencies respectively.
From South Kashmir the names of leaders like Syed Showkat Gayoor (Pampore), Arshid Bhat (Rajpora), Javid Qadri (Shopian), Rafiq Wani (Anantnag West), and Advocate Wazahat (Anantnag) figure in the list.
Former Panthers Party leader who joined BJP will contest from Chenani. [KNT]
