Vikrant Shekhawat : Aug 26, 2024, 05:50 PM
J&K Election 2024: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has taken a big political step in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections. On August 24, 2024, the BJP announced candidates for 15 seats in the first phase of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections, in which more than half are candidates from the Muslim community. The move is part of the BJP's strategy, which aims to increase support in the valley.Earlier, the BJP had released a list of 44 candidates for the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections, which was later withdrawn. Now the party has released a list of new candidates, which includes 8 Muslim and 7 Hindu candidates. Muslim candidates include Syed Shaukat Ghayur from Pampore, Arshid Bhatt from Rajpora and Javed Ahmed Qadri from Shopian. At the same time, among the Hindu candidates, Shagun Parihar (Kishtwar) and Veer Saraf (Anantnag) are prominent.BJP has taken the decision to give prominence to Muslim candidates as a part of a well-thought-out strategy, as Muslim votes have a big influence in the Kashmir region. The party plans to increase support among the Muslim community in Kashmir, which is expected to win more seats in the upcoming assembly elections.The party's political base is strong in the Jammu region, but BJP has not been able to get the expected support in Kashmir. Under the delimitation after the removal of Article 370, Jammu got six additional seats, while only one seat increased in Kashmir. BJP is now aiming to win 10-12 seats out of 47 Kashmir seats.BJP has made development, removal of Article 370 and fight against nepotism as the main issues in its election manifesto. The party has tried to turn the political calculations in its favor by fielding Muslim candidates in Muslim-dominated areas in Kashmir. According to the election strategy, BJP intends to win 35-37 out of 43 seats in Jammu region and 10-12 out of 47 seats in Kashmir region.BJP gave tickets to 8 MuslimsOut of the 15 seats in the first phase, BJP has given tickets to Muslims on 8 seats. In this way, it has shown trust in more than 50 percent Muslims. Engineer Syed Shaukat Gayur from Pampore, Arshid Bhatt from Rajpora, Javed Ahmed Qadri from Shopian, Mohd. Rafiq Wani from Anantnag West, Advocate Syed Wajahat from Anantnag, Sofi Yusuf from Srigufwara Bijbehara, Tariq Keen from Inderwal and Salim Bhatt from Banihal have been made candidates.At the same time, BJP has fielded seven candidates from the Hindu community, including a Kashmiri Pandit. Shagun Parihar from Kishtwar, Gajay Singh Rana from Doda, Veer Saraf from Shangus Anantnag, Sunil Sharma from Pader Nagseni seat, Dilip Singh Parihar from Bhaderwah, Rakesh Thakur from Ramban and Shakti Raj Parihar from Doda West have been made candidates. BJP has given ticket to Veer Saraf from Shangus Anantnag, who is a Kashmiri Pandit. Along with this, trust has also been shown on Sunil Sharma among Kashmiri Pandits. Apart from this, tickets have been given to leaders from Thakur community on five seats, out of which three are Parihars.Equation of betting on MuslimsBJP has not bet on Muslim candidates in Jammu and Kashmir just like that but has fielded them under a well thought out strategy. BJP's political base is in the Jammu region. That is why the party had fielded its candidates on both the seats of Jammu region in the Lok Sabha elections. Keeping in mind the political influence of Muslim votes in Kashmir region, BJP has fielded Muslim candidates. In Kashmir Panchayat elections also, BJP had bet on Muslims in Muslim dominated areas, in which it was successful to some extent. That is why trust has been shown on Muslims in the assembly elections too.Will BJP's lotus bloom in the valley?Traditionally, BJP does not have much support in Kashmir region as compared to Jammu region, but people knowledgeable about politics say that BJP's cadre has increased here in recent years. BJP performed best in Jammu and Kashmir in the 2014 assembly elections. Then it emerged as the second largest party. At that time, BJP had formed the government in alliance with PDP. BJP had won 25 seats in Jammu out of a total of 87.BJP's political base in the state has been in the Jammu region only, but in the Kashmir region, the influence of Hindu votes is not much. Muslim voters are in a decisive role here. In the delimitation after the removal of Article 370, Jammu got six additional seats, while Kashmir got only one seat. In this way, the seats of Jammu region have now increased from 37 to 43, while the seats of Kashmir region have increased from 46 to 47. In this way, there is not much difference now.BJP made these issues its base in the electionBJP hopes that it can win 35 to 37 seats out of 43 in Jammu region, but has planned to win 10 to 12 seats out of 47 seats in Kashmir region. To win the hearts of the people of Kashmir, especially Muslims, National Conference and Apni Party have included in their manifesto the struggle for 370 and restoration of state status. PDP has already been against 370. Due to this, BJP has made a big political move by fielding Muslim candidates in the Muslim-dominated areas of Kashmir.BJP is basing its campaign on the change in the environment of Jammu and Kashmir after the removal of Article 370, the story of development and the end of family politics. BJP is putting the picture of the changes in the last five years in front of the public and asking them to choose the option of development or destruction. Apart from this, the way Muslim candidates have been fielded on the seats of Kashmir region is being considered as the key to BJP's return to power.