BJP trims first list of candidates amid internal rumblings

Jammu/New Delhi: The BJP on Monday issued a list of 16 candidates for the first phase of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections, considerably pruning an initial list of 44 names followingprotests by some party cadre who alleged that “parachute candidates” were favoured over dedicated workers.

The original list, which included candidates for 36 segments in the Jammu region and eight in the Kashmir Valley, sparked significant dissatisfaction among party workers.

A group of disgruntled members protested at the BJP headquarters in Jammu.

While Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ravinder Raina attempted to downplay the discontent, the protests highlighted a growing rift within the party ranks.

Some angry BJP workers from different assembly constituencies staged a protest at the party headquarters over the leadership “ignoring” hardworking workers and giving the mandate to “parachute candidates”.

Jagdish Bhagat, president of the BJP’s Scheduled Caste Morcha, asserted that long-time members of the party felt overlooked.

“I have been associated with the party for the last 18 years and have worked day and night to strengthen it but the mandate was given to a person who joined the party only a few days back,” Bhagat said.

Welcoming the withdrawal of the initial list, he said, “We hope that party leaders would be given the mandate instead of those who have done nothing for the party.

“If they ignore us, there will be serious consequences. We will not allow any wrongdoing and will protest against this injustice within the party,” he added.

The revised list of candidates includes three former MLAs and Shagun Parihar, a woman candidate whose family has faced violence due to their political affiliations. Her father and uncle were killed by terrorists in Kishtwar district in November 2018.