This is an archive article published on August 26, 2024
After withdrawing J&K candidate list with 44 names, BJP announces fresh one with just 15
The party, which has maintained it will contest all seats in J&K, has so far fielded seven candidates out of the 15 seats in south Kashmir that go to polls in the first phase
The BJP Monday announced its first list of 15 candidates for the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, leaving open nine seats of south Kashmir that go to polls in the first phase on September 18. The last date to file nomination papers for the first phase is Tuesday.
The party initially released a list of 44 candidates across Jammu and Kashmir. The list was, however, withdrawn immediately. The subsequent list named 15 candidates for the seats that go to polls in the first phase.
In a ‘second list’, BJP announced Choudhary Roshan Hussain Gujjar as its candidate from the Kokernag constituency.
The party has fielded senior Valley leader Sofi Mohammad Yousuf, former minister Sunil Sharma, and the party’s vice-president Shakti Raj Parihar.
The BJP, which has maintained it will contest all seats in Jammu and Kashmir, has so far fielded seven candidates out of the 16 seats in south Kashmir that go to polls in the first phase.
The party has fielded senior leader Sofi Yousuf from Bijbehara constituency, who would traditionally contest from Pahalgam. In the recent delimitation, some of the villages of Pahalgam have been made part of the Bijbehara constituency. Yousuf will be up against PDP’s Iltija Mufti.
The party has also announced Veer Saraf as its candidate from the Anantang East constituency, and also announced candidates for Pampore, Rajpora, Shopian, Anantnag, and Anantnag West.
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The list doesn’t include candidates for Pulwama, Tral, Kulgam, D H Pora, Devsar, Dooru, Pahalgam and Zainpora.
In the Chenab valley region that will also go to polls in the first phase, the party has fielded its former minister Sunil Sharma from Padder constituency. Sharma won the 2014 elections on a BJP ticket from Kishtwar. He has been moved to the Padder constituency this time while Shagun Parihar has been fielded from Kishtwar. The party’s vice-president Shakti Raj Parihar will contest from Doda constituency.
Bashaarat Masood is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express. He has been covering Jammu and Kashmir, especially the conflict-ridden Kashmir valley, for two decades. Bashaarat joined The Indian Express after completing his Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University in Kashmir. He has been writing on politics, conflict and development. Bashaarat was awarded with the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards in 2012 for his stories on the Pathribal fake encounter.
Expertise and Experience
Two Decades of Frontline Reporting: Bashaarat has spent 20 years documenting the evolution of Kashmir, from high-intensity conflict and political shifts to socio-economic development.
Award-Winning Investigative Journalism: He is a recipient of the prestigious Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Award (2012). This honor was bestowed for his reporting on the Pathribal fake encounter, a series of stories that highlighted his ability to handle sensitive human rights and security issues with investigative rigor.
Specialized Beats: His authoritative coverage spans:
Political Transitions: Tracking the shift from statehood to Union Territory, electoral dynamics, and the pulse of local governance.
Security & Conflict: Providing nuanced reporting on counter-insurgency, civil liberties, and the impact of the conflict on the civilian population.
Development: Documenting the infrastructure, healthcare, and educational landscape within the Valley.
Academic Background: He holds a Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University of Kashmir, providing him with a localized academic and professional foundation that is rare in regional reporting. ... Read More
