Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): In the upcoming Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has opted field candidates in only 19 out of 47 constituencies in the Kashmir Valley, paving the way for independents backed by Abdul Rashid Sheikh aka Engineer Rashid's Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) and banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI). While BJP has not fielded candidates on 28 seats but are in the political ring with Independents backed AIP and JeI on at least six seats.
Key seats sans BJP candidates
In the constituencies where the BJP has chosen not to field candidates, AIP and JeI-backed independents have become the key challengers. Engineer Rashid's AIP, which has been critical of both the NC and PDP, is contesting independently or backing other candidates in these areas. In Tral, AIP's Harbaksh Singh Sassan (Independent) will face off against INC's Surinder Singh and PDP's Rafiq Naik. Pulwama sees a contest between JeI-backed and AIP-supported Talat Majid Alie (Independent), NC's Mohammad Khalil Band and PDP's Waheed ur Rehman Parra.
Kulgam is another constituency where AIP and JeI-backed Sayar Ahmad Reshi (Independent) will take on CPIM's Mohd Yousuf Tarigami and PDP's Mohammad Amin Dar. In Zainapora, AIP and JeI-backed Aijaz Mir will contest against NC's Showkat Hussain and PDP's Ghulam Mohi ud Din Wani.
AIP has fielded Suhil Ahmad Bhat (Independent) in Devsar, contesting against INC's Aman Ullah Mantoo and PDP's Mohammad Sartaj Madni. In Dooru, AIP's Hilal Ahmad Malik (Independent) is competing against INC's Ghulam Ahmad Mir and PDP's Mohammad Ashraf Malik.
In Beerwah, AIP's Nazir Ahmad Khan (Independent) is set to face NC's Shafi Ahmad Wani and PDP's Ghulam Ahmad Khan. Langate, Engineer Rashid's traditional stronghold, will witness a contest between AIP's Khursheed Ahmad Sheikh (Engineer Rashid's brother) and INC's Irshad Hussain, while PDP has fielded Syed Ghulam Bukhari.
In Budgam, AIP's Mehraj Ud Din Ganayee (Independent) will challenge NC's Omar Abdullah and PDP's Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi. In Ganderbal, AIP's Sheikh Aashiq (Independent) faces NC's Omar Abdullah.
Chadoora sees AIP's Faisal Fayaz (Independent) competing against NC's Ali Mohammad Dar and PDP's Mohammad Yaseen Bhat, while Hazratbal will have AIP's Mohammad Maqbool Beigh (Independent) contesting against NC's Salman Sagar and PDP's Asiea Naqash.
Other constituencies without BJP candidates include Wagoora-Kreeri, Lolab, Central-Shaletang, Khanyar, and DH Pora, where AIP and JeI-backed independents are positioned against NC and PDP candidates.
Seats Where BJP is contesting
While BJP has opted out of several constituencies, it is actively contesting in 19 others. In Pampore, BJP's Syed Showkat Gayoor Andrabi is up against AIP's Abdul Quyoom Mir (Independent), NC's Hasnain Masoodi, and PDP's Zahoor Ahmad Mir. Rajpora will see BJP's Arsheed Ahmad Bhat contesting against NC's Ghulam Mohi uddin Mir and PDP's Syed Bashir Ahmad.
Shopian features BJP's Javid Ahmad Qadri, while NC's Sheikh Mohammad Rafi, PDP's Yawar Shafi Banday and Shabir Kullay (independent) are also vying for the seat. Anantnag West has BJP's Mohd Rafiq Wani facing AIP's Aaqib Mushtaq Ganie (Independent), NC's Abdul Majeed Bhat, and PDP's Abdul Gaffar Sofi.
In Anantnag, BJP's Syed Peerzada Wajahat Hussain will contest against AIP's Tawseef Nisar (Independent), INC's Peerzada Mohammad Syed, and PDP's Mehboob Beg. In a high-voltage contest, Srigufwara-Bijbehara sees BJP's Sofi Yousuf competing against NC's Bashir Ahmad Shah Veeri and PDP's Iltija Mufti.
Other key seats where BJP is contesting include Shangus-Anantnag East, Kokernag, Habba Kadal, Lal Chowk, Eidgah, Khan Sahib, Chrar-i-Sharief, Channapora, Karnah, Handwara, Bandipora, Gurez, and Sonawari, where AIP's Yasir Reshi is also contesting.
A strategic move or a fixed match?
On September 4, Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State in the Narendra Modi government, dismissed speculation that the BJP's absence in these constituencies indicated a retreat from the Valley or a sign of weakness. Addressing the issue, Singh remarked, "It is a strategic decision of every political party. That will be also our strategic move," emphasizing that the number of candidates fielded had no relation to the peace situation or decline in stone-pelting incidents.
Speaking to ETV Bharat, Kalimullah Lone, the AIP and JeI-backed candidate running for the Langate seat, said, "The BJP is not contesting here, but the National Conference and Indian National Congress have fielded a joint candidate (Irshad Hussain). There are eight independent candidates here, including me and Engineer Rashid's brother, Khursheed Sheikh."
"We are conducting a friendly campaign here in Langate, and I can say that the INC and PDP candidates have no presence on the ground. Since JeI is banned, we are campaigning independently at our own level," he added.
However, National Conference spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar claimed that it appears to be a "fixed" match. "It is evident and seems like a fixed match between the BJP and Engineer Rashid's AIP. There are several constituencies in South Kashmir, such as Kulgam, Devsar, and DH Pora, where the BJP has not fielded any candidates, but AIP-backed independent candidates are contesting."
While defending Dr. Jitendra Singh's "strategic decision" remark, Senior BJP leader Altaf Thakur told ETV Bharat, "BJP is a national party, and all decisions are taken in the interest of the party. AIP and JeI-backed candidates are contesting from several south Kashmir seats, and BJP is not fielding candidates there because it was a strategic decision made by the party."
"As such, I cannot comment further on it," he added.
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