Ganesh Kendale
NEW DELHI: BJP’s dreams of forming its first govt in J&K remains unfulfilled but it emerged the second largest party by winning 29 constituencies in the maiden assembly polls post nullification of Article 370, improving on its all-time high of 25 seats recorded in 2014 elections.
The party had expected a better performance of independents against the mainstream parties in the Valley and form the govt with their support, but the NC-Congress combine swept the polls, gaining a clear mandate.
However, there is a sense of satisfaction among the BJP brass over a substantial rise in poll percentage across the region as they consider it as an endorsement of the Modi govt’s decisions.
“BJP has delivered its best performance so far. We have won 29 seats, and it is satisfying that we fought this election solely on the issue of development,” said Union minister Jitendra Singh, MP from Udhampur.
BJP suffered a setback with its Union Territory president Ravinder Raina losing from Nowshera constituency at the hands of National Conference. Also, the party failed to win any seat in Kashmir where most of its nearly two dozen candidates lost their security deposit.
The party failed in its attempt to make inroads in Pir Panjal region of Rajouri and Poonch districts by fielding several turncoats from Gujjar and Pahari communities, including two former ministers – Choudhary Zulfikar Ali (Budhal) and Syed Mushtaq Bukhari (Surankote) – who lost by huge margins of 18,908 votes and 10,428 votes. Incidentally, 75-year-old Bukhari passed away on Oct 2.
Besides the two former ministers, four ex-legislators, including Raina, lost to their rivals.
However, 12 former legislators, including seven ministers, successfully contested the elections and mostly retained their seats. The rest of the party winners are new faces, including a former police officer, a university professor and an ex-bureaucrat took retirement recently to contest the elections.
