Srinagar, Feb 27: Jammu and Kashmir BJP has finalised the panel of candidates for the three crucial seats from Kashmir as the list of probable candidates have been forwarded to the head office where the party's Parliamentary affairs panel will soon take a final call.
Reliable sources within the BJP told that the BJP has shortlisted Darakshan Andrabi, Altaf Thakur, Ashok Bhat and Arif Raja for Central Kashmir parliamentary seat while for the North Kashmir seat, there are three probables that include Anwar Khan, Surinder Ambardar, and Fakir Muhammad Khan.
For Anantnag-Rajouri constituency, J&K BJP chief Ravinder Raina has expressed his desire to contest himself while former National Conference MLC Shehaz Ganai, who joined BJP in New Delhi recently, is also in the panel. “There is every possibility that Shehnaz Ganai would be given the party ticket for the Anantnag-Rajouri constituency given her father's legacy and huge fan following,” said a source in the BJP.
The party leadership in J&K is in constant touch with the BJP leadership in New Delhi. “The list of candidates has been sent to the parliamentary panel of BJP and final call is expected shortly so that candidates are given time to campaign,” a senior BJP leader said.
He said BJP is confident to bag all three seats in Kashmir. “Joining of prominent faces has given a new impetus to the party and more influential and protuberant people are in the list to join the party in the days ahead,” the leader said.
For two seats in Jammu, the names are being finalised and will soon be sent to the parliamentary affairs panel of BJP in New Delhi. For Kathua-Udhampur Lok Sabha seat, MoS in PMO and incumbent MP Dr Jitendera Singh is likely to be repeated for seat while as for Jammu seat, there is likelihood to replace incumbent MP Jugal Kishore Sharma. “Former J&K Assembly speaker Kavinder Gupta and newcomer Devender Singh Rana and some Brahmin leaders are main contenders for the seat,” sources in the BJP said. While Davinder Singh Rana's proximity to Raj Bhawan has an extra weightage, his elder brother Dr. Jatinder Singh contesting from Kathua-Udhampur-Doda may not go in his favour. Further, If Ravinder Raina comes to fray from Rajouri-Poonch-Anantnag seat, the balance may tilt in the favour of non-Brahmin candidate Kavinder Gupta. A party source said that over and above the win-ability prospectus will be weighed while deciding the candidate.
