Srinagar, Aug 20: With the Congress and National Conference considering forming a pre-poll alliance, the BJP is likely to go solo in Jammu while eyeing independents in the Kashmir Valley.
Jammu and Kashmir is preparing for its long-awaited Assembly election, the first since the region became a Union Territory in 2019 and the first in a decade.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to visit Jammu and Kashmir for two days starting Wednesday to kickstart the party’s campaign in the Union Territory for the upcoming Assembly election.
While the BJP has decided to go solo in Jammu but may support independents in some seats in Kashmir.
A senior BJP leader confirmed the party’s strategy, stating, “The BJP will not form a pre-poll alliance with any political party in Jammu and Kashmir. In the Kashmir Valley, we are in talks with around 10 independent candidates.”
The BJP’s electoral strategy in Jammu and Kashmir will focus on its achievements post-2019, particularly the abrogation of Article 370. The BJP argues that this move has ushered in a new era of development, benefiting various communities such as the Gujjar Bakarwals, Scheduled Castes (SCs), West Pakistan refugees, and women. The BJP is expected to highlight these developments in its campaign, alongside infrastructure projects like the opening of AIIMS and the extension of rail connectivity to Kashmir.
In the 2014 Assembly elections, the BJP secured 25 seats, all in Jammu, while the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) won 28 seats, predominantly in the Kashmir Valley. Following the recent delimitation, the total number of seats in Jammu and Kashmir has increased to 114, with 24 reserved for Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. The remaining 90 seats are split between Jammu (43) and Kashmir (47). This new configuration could lead to a highly competitive election, with the BJP focusing on Jammu and seeking to make inroads into Kashmir through alliances with independents.
