BJP releases list of 44 candidates, trims it to 16 amid resentment

In a dramatic turn of events, the BJP on Monday released a list of 44 candidates for the threephase election to 90 Assembly seats in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, but deleted it soon after.

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Hours later, the BJP issued a fresh list, but it included only the names of 15 candidates picked for the first phase of the election. No changes were made to the candidates selected for this phase. Later in the day, another list with just one name was released.

Three key names were missing from the now-deleted list-Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ravinder Raina, and former Deputy Chief Ministers Nirmal Singh and Kavinder Gupta. The list did, however, include the name of Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh's brother Devendra Rana, who switched over from the National Conference. Two Kashmiri Pandits and 14 Muslim candidates were also named in the first list. Several former leaders of Congress, National Conference, PDP, and Panthers Party, who switched sides and joined the BJP, were also featured in the now-deleted list.

It is understood that some key omissions led to resentment and disgruntlement after the initial list was released, which seemingly forced the BJP to withdraw the three-phase list and re-release only the names of candidates for the first phase.

The first phase of elections to the 90-member Jammu and Kashmir Assembly is to be held on September 18.

While Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Ravinder Raina downplayed the resentment over the initial list, a group of party workers held a protest at its headquarters in Jammu, claiming that “parachute candidates” were picked over hardworking workers.