BJP announces first list of candidates for J&K assembly polls

Srinagar, Aug 26: Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) on Monday released first list of candidates for Jammu & Kashmir legislative assembly election, with former deputy chief minister Dr Nirmal Singh and former minister Sat Sharma not in the list.

As per the details available with news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), BJP has announced the list of 44 candidates for assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir.

Surprisingly, the list excludes former deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh, who had won 2014 assembly election from Billawar. This time the party has fielded Satish Sharma, while Chowdhary Zulfikar Ali, who recently joined the party, has been fielded from ST reserved seat of Budhal.

The party has also fielded union minister Jitender Singh's brother Davinder Singh Rana from Nagrota. Former minister Sat Sharma has also been dropped from Jammu West, as party has fielded Arvind Gupta this time.

According to the list Syed Showkat Gayoor will be party's candidate from Pampore, Arshid Bhat from Rajpora, Javid Qadri Shopian, Rafiq Wani from Anantnag West, Advocate Wazahat from Anantnag, Sofi Yousuf from Bijbehara-Srigufwara, Tariq Keen from Inderwal, Sushri Shagun Parihar from Kishtwar, Sunil Sharma from Padder-Nagsani Dilip Singh from Bhaderwah, Gajay Singh Raina from Doda, Shakti Raj Parihar from Doda West, Rakesh Thakur from Ramba, Salim Bhat from Banihal, Ashok Bhat from Habba Kadal, Mohammad Akram Choudhary from Gulabgarh, Kuldeep Raj Dubey from Reasi, Rohit Dubey from Mata Vishnaw Devi, Randhir Singh from Kalakote-Sunderbani, Iqbal Malik from Thanamandi, Syed Mushtaq Bhukhari from Surankote, Choudhary Ab Gani from Poonch-Haveli and Murtaza Khan from Mendhar

The party's candidate for Udhampur West will be Pawan Gupta, Bulwant Singh Mankotia from Chenani, Sunil Bhardwaj from Ram Nagar, Jeevan Lal from Bani, Darshan Singh from Basohli, Rajiv Jasrotia from Jasrota, Adv Vijay Kumar Sharma from Hiranagar, Devinder Kumar Maniyal from Ramgarh, Surjit Singh Slathia from Samba, Chander Prakash Ganga from Vijaypur, Ram Bhagat from Suchetgarh Gharu, Narinder Singh Raina from RS Pora-Jammu South, Yudhvir Sethi from Jammu East, Sham Lal Sharma from Jammu North, Mohan Lal Baghat from Akhnoor and Rajiv Sharma from Chhamb.