Rana, Sham, Ganga, Salathia, Mankotia among bigwigs
Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Aug 27: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) released its second list of 29 candidates to be fielded in second and third phases of elections to be held on September 25 and October 1 after withdrawing the list yesterday by making one replacement .
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In the list released today, the names of party bigwigs include some former Ministers and ex MLAs. They are Devender Singh Rana from Nagrota constituency former Minister and two-time MLA, Sham Lal Sharma from Jammu North, former Minister and also two time MLA, Surjit Singh Salathia from Samba, former Minister, Chander Parkash Ganga, from Vijaypur, former Minister, Rajiv Jasrotia from Jasrota- Kathua, former Minister and party general secretary, Dr D K Manyal from Ramgarh, former Minister, Pawan Gupta from Udhampur West, former Minister and two time MLA, Choudhary Zulfkar Ali from Budhal ST seat, former Minister, Syed Mushtaq Bukhari from Surankote (ST) figure.
The party which released a revised list today after controversy surfaced yesterday has made one change in it. The candidate for Mata Vaishno Devi Assembly segment, Rohit Dubey was replaced by former MLA, Baldev Raj Sharma.
Devender Singh Rana has been nominated from his strong pocket borough Nagrota. A three-time Legislator, he is an easily amenable, humble, popular and mass leader with pan J&K presence. He has nurtured and developed Nagrota constituency very well and is acceptable to all sections of society.
The proponent of Jammu Declaration, his joining the BJP 3 years back was overwhelmingly welcomed by the people of the region.
The party also fielded Balwant Singh Mankotia, a two time MLA who joined the party about two years back after resigning from Panthers Party from Chenani seat. The former MLA Jeevan Lal was fielded from Bani Assembly segment while Satish Sharma a new face but a senior party leader was given mandate from Billawar constituency which was earlier represented by former Dy CM, Dr Nirmal Singh.
A new face Darshan Singh was given mandate form Basohli constituency while Vijay Kumar Sharma, a former Councillor got the ticket from Hiranagar Assembly segment, former MLA and DDC member, Garu Ram Bhagat is party candidate from Suchetgarh (SC) seat, party national secretary, Dr Narinder Singh who is also a new face has been fielded from R S Pura Jammu South.
BJP vice president, Yudhvir Sethi also a new face has been fielded from Jammu East while Arvind Gupta was fielded from Jammu West which was earlier represented by former Minister Sat Sharma who has been dropped this time. Mohan Lal Bhagat who joined BJP three days back has been fielded from Akhnoor (SC) seat while former MLA Rajeev Sharma has been given mandate from Chhamb constituency.
Sunil Bhardwaj, a new face is the party candidate from Ramnagar SC constituency which was earlier represented by BJP spokesperson, R S Pathania.
From Habba Kadal constituency in Srinagar the party has fielded district president, Srinagar Ashok Bhat while Mohammed Akram Choudhary will be party candidate from Gulabgarh (ST) seat. Kuldeep Raj Dubey a senior leader has been fielded from Reasi Assembly segment by dropping former Minister Ajay Nanda.
Thakur Randhir Singh also a new face has been fiven ticket from Kalakote-Sunderbani constituency while Mohamad Iqbal Malik also a new face has been fielded from Thannamandi (ST) constituency. Choudhary Abdul Gani who joined party some days back has been fielded from Poonch Haveli constituency while Murtaza Khan, a former MLC who too joined BJP recently is the party candidate from Mendhar (ST) constituency.
It may be recalled that party yesterday released a list of 16 candidates including eight from Kashmir valley and eight from three districts of Jammu including Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban.
With today’s list of 29 candidates the party has fielded 45 candidates in 90 member Assembly of J&K UT. There are seven Assembly segments in Jammu region including Bahu in Gandhi Nagar, Marh, Kathua (ST), Udhampur East, Nowshera, Rajouri and Bishnah on which party is yet to decide the names of candidates.
The party has also given mandate to two Kashmiri Pandits this time. In the first list it fielded Veer Saraf from Shangus in Anantnag district and in today’s list Ashok Bhat party district president Srinagar was given mandate from Habba Kadal , Srinagar. Among the 45 candidates only lone woman candidate Shagun Parihar finds place in the party list who has been fielded from Kishtwar Assembly Segment.
The senior party leaders and former Ministers including two ex Dy CMs , Dr Nirmal Singh and Kavinder Gupta former Ministers, Sat Sharma, Bali Bhagat, who represented Raipur Damana, Ch. Sukhnandan who represented Marh, Shyam Choudhry who represented Suchetgarh, Abdul Gani Kohli , who represented Kalakote, Ajay Nanda who was elected from Reasi, ex MLA, R S Pathania who represented Ramnagar, Dr Krishan Lal Bhagat ex MLA from Chhamb and ex MLA from Ramban, Neelam Langeh were dropped this time.
The Habbakadal, in Srinagar, Gulabgarh, Reasi, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi, Kalakote Sunderbani, Budhal. Thannamandi, Surankote, Poonch Haveli, and Mendhar in Jammu region will go to polls in second phase on September 25.
Udhampur West, Chenani, Ramnagar, Bani, Billawar. Basohli, Jasrota, Hiranagar, Ramgarh, Samba, Vijaypur, Suchetgarh, R S Pura- Jammu South, Jammu East, Nagrota, Jammu West, Jammu North, Akhnoor and Chhamb will go to polls on October 1.
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