Jammu, November 11, (Scoop News)- With announcement of five candidates by the BJP – Dr. Nirmal Singh from Billawar in Jammu region and Abdul Rehman Lone from Kupwara, Abdul Rashid from Zargar from Lolab, MM War from Langate and Gulam Hassan Zargar from Kulgam in Kashmir valley, the suspense over the BJP candidates for Nagrota and Gandhi Nagar seats still continues as the decision on these two politically important seats has been deferred again by the Central Election Committee of the BJP in Delhi.
The National Conference, Congress, PDP and BSP have already announced their candidates for these seats and their candidates have already in their advanced campaign mode.
There are two top contenders for Nagrota seat for the BJP ticket — Nand Kishore, the brother of BJP state unit president, recently elected MP Jugal Kishore Sharma and Chander Mohan Sharma whom party was considering keeping in view the caste matrix. While Jugal Kishore Sharma has been pitching hard for the name of his brother Nand Kishore, the party is in dilemma for its declared principle of Vanshvaad (family succession) in politics. Chander Mohan Sharma, an old party leader, is also in reckoning and has an edge for his clean public image.
Earlier, the delay in party’s decision over Nagrota Seat was attributed to the joining of BJP by the National Conference’s MLC Ajatshatru Singh and his likely option for the seat. But, according to the sources, there was no such condition from either side for fielding him as he had already assured the party to work for realizing the party’s mission ‘+44’ in J&K. BJP’s Jugal Kishore Sharma got a lead of just 4000 votes surfing the Modi wave and diluting anti-incumbency factor against him in this assembly segment dominated by Rajputs, Brahmins, Gujjar and other castes. Congress, NC and BSP all have fielded Rajput candidates while PDP has fielded a Gujjar in this constituency.
Another factor for the delay may also be attributed to the outcome of a writ petition ‘Dinanath Vs State’ pending in J&K High Court and listed on November 15 for hearing, seeking transfer of investigation to CBI or Special Investigation Team against Nand Kishore and others in a murder case where the petition has alleged that investigation has been scuttled due to political influence for over the last decade. The party may not take risk in giving handle to its political rivals for fielding tainted leaders.
Gandhi Nagar, a prestigious seat, BJP always wanted to wrest it from Congress where the Congress party’s heavyweight and Minister Raman Bhalla is trying his luck for the third time. While the confusion of Dr. Nirmal Singh being in race is over with his option for Billawer agreed by the party, a stalemate continues between two former Mayors of JMC – Kavinder Gupta, a party loyalist and Choudhary Manmohan Singh who has joined BJP after quitting Congress a couple of days ago.
While a powerful faction of the party wants Kavinder to be fielded in this high profile constituency, Manmohan Choudhary is being considered a strong candidate with all political attributes to give a decisive fight to Raman Bhalla. The reports said the matrix of Jammu’s three seats got disturbed only by Ashok Khajuria, a sitting MLA from Jammu East, who favoured Rajesh Gupta, his close confident when party denied him the ticket and asked him for option. Initially party wanted to field a Brahmin candidate from Jammu east, Kavinder Gupta from Jammu West and Dr. Nirmal Singh from Gandhi Nagar seats. With a Brahmin candidate and a new face Sat Sharma was given BJP ticket from Jammu West against Congress’s Surinder Singh Shingari, party wanted to accommodate Kavinder from Gandhi Nagar. Interestingly, it was Kavinder Gupta who for his bonhomie of Mayorship with Manmohan Choudhary and being assured of his nomination from Jammu west, persuaded the later to join BJP with an assurance of party ticket from Gandhi Nagar. Kavinder is now in the race with Manmohan.
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