In Kashmir, BJP To Be Dependant On Independents In Upcoming J-K Assembly Polls

Speaking to reporters on Sunday, President of the Jammu and Kashmir unit of the BJP, Ravinder Raina claimed that the saffron party will form the government on its own in the upcoming assembly polls, but added that "in some of the assembly segments, we may have an alliance with some independent candidates," reports ETV Bharat's Mohd Ashraf Ganie.

Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir): Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Jammu Kashmir unit president Ravinder Raina on Monday exuded confidence in the party’s chances to form a government on its own in Jammu Kashmir yet acknowledging the saffron party will be largely dependant on independants in Kashmir valley.

Jammu and Kashmir will go to the much delayed assembly polls in three phases scheduled on September 18, September 25 and October 1. The results will be declared on October 4.

“We are grateful to the Election Commission ECI for the final call on assembly elections in J&K. We were eagerly waiting for the announcement of elections as BJP is fully prepared for the assembly elections. We will contest the majority of the assembly segments across Jammu Kashmir,” Raina said while speaking to the media.

“However, in some of the assembly segments, we may have an alliance with some independent candidates. Having said so, we will contest the majority of the seats on our own and we do hope that the way we won parliamentary elections, we will set a record victory in assembly elections,” he added.

The BJP leader said discussions are ongoing with “8 to 10 independents in the Kashmir valley for contesting the elections together”.

“BJP is fully geared up for assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir and will announce the first list of candidates soon,” he added. Raina said that the BJP will have no pre-poll alliance with any political party in Jammu and Kashmir.

He said the BJP’s “mission 50-plus” would become a reality on the back of “last 10 years of peace, prosperity and development that flourished under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi”.

Raina said the party would shortly come out with a vision document for the upcoming assembly election.

The BJP newly found confidence with regard to the poll prospects in Jammu and Kashmir stems from turncoat Zulfikar Ali jumping another ship to join the saffron party on Sunday.