The central leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has reaffirmed its trust in two-time Member of Parliamentarians from Jammu by including their names in the inaugural list of 195 candidates released by the BJP headquarters yesterday.
The BJP has decided to retain its two-time MPs, Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh and Jugal Kishore Sharma, for the Udhampur and Jammu Lok Sabha constituencies respectively, to contest for a third term in the upcoming April-May Parliamentary polls. However, decisions are still pending regarding the prestigious Anantnag-Rajouri-Poonch (APR) seat, along with Srinagar, Baramulla in Jammu and Kashmir, and the lone Ladakh segment in the neighboring Union Territory.
Dr. Jitendra Singh, who has served a decade in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) across two terms, and Jugal Kishore Sharma, a two-time Lok Sabha Member and former two-time MLA from Nagrota Assembly seat, have been chosen again by the BJP Election Committee, as the party announced its initial list of candidates.
While the BJP Election Committee considered several names for both the Jammu and Udhampur constituencies, it opted to rely on the incumbents. However, a candidate for the high-stakes Anantnag-Poonch-Rajouri seat, which holds a significant number of Pahari votes, remains undecided.
Names of BJP UT chief Ravinder Raina, bureaucratic figures, and some Pahari and Gujjar leaders are reportedly under consideration for the APR Lok Sabha seat. Presently, the Anantnag seat is held by National Conference leader Hasnain Masoodi, with PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti also presenting a strong contention. However, the constituents of the INDIA bloc – NC, PDP, and Congress – are yet to finalize their candidates for six seats in J&K and Ladakh.
Sources reveal that the BJP meticulously surveyed most constituencies through credible agencies, assessing factors such as winnability, public outreach, and accountability before finalizing the mandate. Dr. Jitendra Singh had previously defeated former Union Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and Vikramaditya Singh, while Jugal Kishore Sharma had emerged victorious against Madan Lal Sharma and Raman Bhalla.
BJP stalwart Prof Chaman Lal Gupta and Dr. Karan Singh had earlier represented the Udhampur constituency for multiple terms, with Dr. Jitendra Singh and Jugal Kishore now aiming for a hat-trick in their respective seats. Apart from Jammu and Udhampur, the BJP is eyeing the Anantnag-Poonch-Rajouri seat to make its mark in Kashmir for the first time. The party is deliberating its options carefully before announcing a candidate for this crucial constituency. With political observers suggesting that the BJP may benefit if both NC and PDP field candidates in the APR seat, the stage is set for an intriguing contest. The BJP, meanwhile, aims to win all five seats in the Union Territory, banking on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s extensive development initiatives.“I am confident that we will secure victories in both seats of Jammu, along with Anantnag, Srinagar, and Baramulla,” remarked BJP UT chief Ravinder Raina, expressing satisfaction with Dr. Singh and Sharma’s candidature.