BJP gears up for Kashmir push amid turbulence in Jammu

Srinagar, Aug 30: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is poised to announce its list of candidates for the second phase of the J&K assembly elections on Saturday.

The announcement follows the party's earlier release of candidates for the first phase during which the BJP declared its intention to contest on nine seats – eight in south Kashmir and one in central Kashmir.

“The list for the second phase is coming on Saturday,” BJP General Secretary (Organisation) Ashok Koul told Greater Kashmir.

He said that they had urged central leadership that they would contest all seats in central and north Kashmir.

“Now it is up to them as they have to release the list of contesting candidates,” Koul said.

Sources in BJP said that the saffron party is likely to contest on four seats in Srinagar, two in Budgam, and eight seats in north Kashmir.

In Srinagar, sources said that the BJP will likely contest in Eidgah, Lal Chowk, Shalteng, and Hazratbal in Srinagar district and Chadoora and Budgam in Budgam district.

In north Kashmir, sources said that the saffron party is likely to contest from Uri, Baramulla, Pattan, Gurez, Karnah, Sumbal, Trehgam, and Lolab.

The BJP, which has been striving to expand its footprint in Kashmir, has made significant inroads in recent years, especially following the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.

However, the party faces a challenging landscape, not just in terms of the opposition but also from within its ranks.

This election is seen as a critical test for the BJP in J&K where political dynamics have been historically complex and heavily influenced by regional factors.

So far BJP has given mandate to eight candidates in Anantnag.

The BJP's focus on south Kashmir is telling.

South Kashmir, known for its history of insurgency and voter apathy, has seen a gradual increase in BJP's influence, largely driven by the central government's development initiatives and security measures.

By fielding eight candidates in south Kashmir, the BJP aims to consolidate its base and challenge the traditional dominance of regional parties like the National Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In central Kashmir, the BJP has fielded only one candidate so far, indicating a more cautious approach.

Central Kashmir, particularly the Srinagar district, has been a stronghold of the NC, and the BJP faces an uphill battle to make inroads here.

While the BJP is projecting confidence in its electoral strategy for Kashmir, the situation in Jammu is far from harmonious.

Reports of dissent within the party's Jammu unit have surfaced, with several senior leaders expressing dissatisfaction over the candidate selection process.

The dissent is reportedly centred around the allocation of tickets, with some leaders feeling sidelined in favour of newcomers or those perceived as having closer ties to the central leadership.

This internal strife poses a significant challenge for the BJP, as Jammu has traditionally been its stronghold.

Any weakening of the party’s base in this region could have serious implications for its overall performance in the assembly elections.

The dissent could also potentially spill over into the campaign, affecting the party’s unity and coherence in a crucial phase of the election.