New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is gearing up for the upcoming by-elections for Budgam and Nagrota assembly seats, as Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma announced on Wednesday that the party will contest both constituencies under its own lotus symbol.
Speaking at a press conference at the BJP headquarters in Srinagar, Sharma also unveiled a calculated strategy for the Rajya Sabha elections, vowing to field candidates only where the party holds a numerical edge, while hinting that Devyani Rana, daughter of late BJP stalwart Devender Singh Rana, is the prime contender to contest the seat however, the final names will be announced soon.
“We will announce candidates for Budgam under our own symbol and contest both seats in the by-elections,” Sharma said, signalling BJP’s intent to strengthen its foothold in both the Kashmir Valley and Jammu region.
He added that the party’s candidates will be announced within the next 2-3 days by the parliamentary board of the BJP, setting the stage for an aggressive campaign ahead of the November 11 polling date, with results due on November 14.
The bi-elections were triggered by two significant vacancies. In Budgam, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah vacated his seat after retaining Ganderbal in the 2024 assembly polls, while Nagrota’s vacancy arose following the untimely death of Devender Singh Rana in 2024.
Sharma’s press conference also shed light on the BJP’s strategy for the Rajya Sabha elections on October 24, the first such polls in Jammu and Kashmir since its reorganisation as a Union Territory in 2020.
With four Upper House seats vacant since February 2021, the outcome could redefine J&K’s representation in New Delhi.
“We will contest only those seats where we have the numbers,” Sharma told reporters, hinting at the BJP’s confidence in leveraging its 29 MLAs in the 90-member assembly to secure at least one seat.
The ruling National Conference (NC)-Congress alliance, with 48 MLAs (42 from NC and 6 from Congress), holds a numerical advantage, theoretically securing three of the four Rajya Sabha seats under the proportional representation system.
However, tensions within the alliance are palpable. NC vice president and the CM Omar Abdullah have publicly rejected Congress’s demand for at least one seat, raising fears of defections that could tilt the scales in the BJP’s favour.
People’s Democratic Party (PDP), reduced to just three MLAs after a bruising 2024 election, remains a wildcard, though its diminished influence limits its role as a kingmaker.
Sharma pulled no punches in attacking the NC, accusing it of “spreading hatred for political gains” and inflating law-and-order issues to fuel anti-centre sentiment ahead of the Budgam by-election.
“NC claims to be out of power, but every file lies with them. They are habitual liars,” he charged, contrasting the BJP’s governance record with what he described as the NC’s divisive tactics.
The bi-elections and Rajya Sabha polls are a critical test for the NC-Congress alliance, which secured a slim majority in the 2024 assembly elections. For the BJP, these contests are more than just seat tallies; they are a referendum on its post-Article 370 integration narrative.
“The party is banking on its Jammu stronghold while making inroads in the Valley, where Budgam’s outcome will signal its appeal,” said a Srinagar-based political analyst, requesting anonymity.
With nominations for the Rajya Sabha closing on October 11 and the by-election campaign gaining momentum, J&K’s political landscape is bracing for a high-stakes showdown.