Jammu, Feb 23: Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Jammu and Kashmir, the J&K unit of the BJP has recommended nine names to the party high command as potential candidates for the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
This customary practice involves each state/UT unit proposing candidates they deem most suitable for each seat, with the final decision resting with the party’s high command.
Former Deputy Chief Minister Kavinder Gupta told Rising Kashmir that the J&K BJP has forwarded the names to the party high command, and the ultimate decision lies with the central leadership.
Among the recommendations, J&K BJP President Ravinder Raina’s name stands out for two Lok Sabha seats: Jammu-Reasi and the newly created Rajouri-Poonch-Anantnag seat resulting from Delimitation.
For the Jammu-Reasi seat, along with Raina, the names Sat Sharma, a former cabinet minister and a sitting MP Jugal Kishore Sharma have been put forward.
The candidates proposed for the Udhampur-Kathua-Doda Lok Sabha seat include Shakti Parihar, Narain Singh, and Jitendra Singh, the minister in the PMO.
For the newly-created Rajouri-Poonch-Anantnag seat, the BJP has recommended Ravinder Raina, Dr Shehnaj Ganai, and Talib Hussain. Dr Shehnaj Ganai, who joined the BJP recently, was previously a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) from the National Conference.
The BJP is particularly focused on securing victory in the Rajouri-Poonch-Anantnag Lok Sabha Seat and has been exploring various strategies, especially after granting reservations to Paharis.
The party sources informed that the high command has decided not to consider sitting MPs Jugal Kishore Sharma and Dr Jitendra Singh as candidates for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
