Sat Sharma appointed as new J&K BJP President

Srinagar, Nov 3: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Jagat Prakash Nadda Sunday appointed former minister Sat Sharma as the new J&K BJP President.

Nadda also appointed incumbent J&K BJP President Ravinder Raina (now replaced by Sharma) as party’s National Executive member.

As per an order issued by BJP National General Secretary and In-Charge Headquarters Arun Singh, both these appointments were made with immediate effect.

As J&K BJP President, this will be the second term for Sharma. His first term (as J&K BJP President) lasted around three years from 2015 to 2018.

Sat, along with two former Deputy Chief Ministers, Nirmal Singh and Kavinder Gupta besides several others, was denied mandate by the party during 2024 assembly elections.

Later, on September 9, 2024, during recent J&K assembly elections, Sat Sharma was made Working President of the J&K unit of the party as (Ravinder) Raina, who was given a mandate to contest, was occupied with his election campaign.

However, in a major setback for the party, Raina, who contested from the Nowshera assembly segment of Rajouri district, was defeated by National Conference’s Surinder Kumar Choudhary by 7819 votes.

This astonishing feat later also won Choudhary - the post of Deputy Chief Minister in the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s Council of Ministers.

However, as per BJP sources, the party’s decision to replace Raina with Sharma, in no way, was affected by this debacle (in Nowshera). According to them, in any case, this change at the helm of affairs (of BJP) in J&K was long overdue.

Raina had the honour of being the longest-serving J&K BJP President, who took over in 2018 and headed the party’s unit in J&K for over six years. Interestingly, earlier Raina had replaced Sat Sharma, as J&K BJP President in May, 2018.

“Notwithstanding his loss, the party bagged its highest number of seats, with the highest vote percentage in assembly elections under Raina’s leadership,” the party leaders assert.

Sat Sharma, who in his previous stint served as J&K BJP Chief from 2015 to 2018, had successfully contested the 2014 assembly elections from Jammu West. He also served as a cabinet minister till April 2018.

A staunch RSS ideologue, 63-year old Sat is a Chartered Accountant by profession.

Having started his active political career in 1997, he had also held several positions in the party and worked to strengthen it at all levels as treasurer, general secretary, in-charge BJP cells, Secretary, election campaign committee of BJP from time to time.

In his professional career, he has also served as Secretary, J&K Branch of NIRC of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India in 1995 and its chairman in 1997.

The new J&K BJP President, who was there in Srinagar to attend the party's Legislature Party meeting to elect the Leader of Opposition, a day ahead of the J&K Assembly Session, while speaking to the media, thanked the party’s leadership for “giving him a big responsibility for the second time.”

“I extend my gratitude to the BJP President J P Nadda and my central leadership for reposing their trust in me and entrusting this responsibility. I’ll make every possible effort to live up to their expectations. I’ll work with party leaders and workers to further bolster BJP’s strength in J&K. I hope I’ll continue to get unflinching support and guidance from the national leadership,” he said.

“I would try to overcome all the shortcomings, if there were any, during my previous stint as J&K BJP President, with the support of party leaders and workers. Together we will ensure that the party scales new heights in J&K. I’ll take forward the party’s agenda using the organisational experience of all and expand the party's base,” Sat Sharma said.

With regard to challenges ahead of BJP, he said, “BJP since its inception and even in its earlier form, Bharatiya Jan Sangh, has always worked in challenging circumstances. No doubt, we (BJP) are in the opposition in J&K, at present, we will play this role responsibly.”

Sat said that the party, which contested under its slogan “Ek Vidhan, Ek Nishan, Ek Pradhan”, secured the highest vote percentage of 26 percent thus establishing its supremacy as a democratic force. “The party has demonstrated that it is a force to reckon with. It has scripted a new history by bagging 29 seats. It has increased its vote share in Kashmir as well. Credit goes to the party's national leadership which devoted its time and full strength to make it possible,” he said.

“In such a scenario, it (BJP) will play its role as a strong and constructive opposition in the J&K Legislative Assembly, the maiden session of which is commencing tomorrow. Party’s entire rank and file, its leaders, workers and supporters will reach out to people, as and when and where, they need us across J&K. They will serve them and safeguard their (people’s) interests,” he assured.

With regard to personal challenges, Sat Sharma said, “I believe that responsibility is never small or big. Whether I’ve worked as a party worker or as the former J&K President or as the Working President during recent assembly elections, I’ve performed my duty with full dedication. I’ll work with the same vigour and sense of responsibility in my new role as J&K BJP President.”