Jammu: Two National Conference candidates who defeated Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidates in their Jammu stronghold are expected to be appointed as cabinet ministers in the upcoming council of ministers in Jammu and Kashmir. A National Conference leader informed ETV Bharat that these ministers will represent the aspirations of the majority population of the Jammu region.
The National Conference (NC) emerged as the largest party in the assembly elections held in three phases in the Union Territory. Interestingly, the NC won several seats in the Jammu region where Congress failed to offer resistance to the BJP's influence. The NC and Congress largely fought the election as alliance partners.
The National Conference leader Surinder Chaudhary defeated BJP state president Ravinder Raina by 7,819 votes. Choudhary polled 35069 votes compared to Ravinder Raina's 27250. This was one of the major upsets for the BJP in Jammu. Another National Conference leader Rajun Singh Raju clinched the Ramban assembly seat by defeating an independent candidate with a margin of 9013 votes.
A Top National Conference leader from Jammu told ETV Bharat that both leaders will be given ministerial berths in the council of ministers.
The National Conference is holding a legislature party meeting in Srinagar on Thursday to elect their leader. This will be followed by formally approaching the Lieutenant Governor to stake a claim for the formation of the next government, the first after the reading down of constitutional provisions giving special status to the erstwhile state.
Of the 90 assembly seats National Conference has bagged 42 seats, followed by the BJP with 29 seats and the Congress with 6 seats, 7 independent candidates, PDP 3, People's Conference one, Cpim One seat, Aam Admi Party one seat.
