Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will contest all seats in the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections. During his two-day visit to Srinagar, Shah urged party workers to prepare for the elections scheduled for later this year.
Shah expressed regret over not contesting three crucial Kashmir Lok Sabha seats, emphasizing that the BJP unit in Jammu and Kashmir must prepare to contest every seat in the Assembly elections set for September.
He made this announcement while addressing a BJP delegation at The Lalit Palace in Srinagar. Shah arrived in Srinagar amid tight security and met with various delegations, including Gujjars, Bakerwals, Paharis, and Sikhs, before meeting BJP leaders such as General Secretary and J&K affairs in-charge Sunil Sharma, Darakshan Andrabi, Hina Bhat, Sofi Yousuf, Altaf Thakur, Dr. GM Mir, Ali Muhammad, Bilal Parray, and national General Secretary Tarun Chug.
A source at the meeting said Shah highlighted his efforts to strengthen the BJP at the grassroots level nationwide. He acknowledged regret for not contesting the Lok Sabha seats but emphasized the importance of reinforcing the party’s cadre.
Shah stressed the need to end the dynasty rule of the National Conference, PDP, and Congress, urging party members to vote against these parties in the Lok Sabha polls for the Baramulla and Anantnag-Rajouri seats on May 20 and May 25.
He directed BJP members to ensure every party vote is cast against the NC, PDP, and Congress. Shah also announced that the BJP will contest all seats in the J&K Assembly elections, which the Supreme Court has mandated be held by September.
The Election Commission of India had cited security concerns and objections from the J&K administration for not holding Lok Sabha and Assembly elections simultaneously.
In a recent rally in Jammu, Shah mentioned that the BJP was not in a hurry to achieve success in J&K’s Parliamentary polls, fielding incumbent MPs Jugal Kishore Sharma and Dr. Jitendera Singh for the Jammu and Udhampur seats.
Following delimitation, the J&K Assembly now has 114 seats, including 24 designated for Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, leaving 90 seats—43 in Jammu and 47 in Kashmir.
Shah’s visit came shortly after Jamaat-e-Islami expressed interest in rejoining electoral politics if the Centre revokes its 2019 ban under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Shah is scheduled to return to New Delhi at 10 am on Friday, sources said.
