BJP Banks on 32 Independents, Regional Outfits in Kashmir, But No Truck With Engineer Rashid or Jamaat-e-Islami
The BJP is confident of forming the government in Jammu and Kashmir with the help of regional outfits and independents who are contesting strongly in the Kashmir Valley. However, the party is not in favour of Engineer Rashid’s outfit or candidates of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami, sources say.
As per the assessment of the party, at least 32 independents are strongly contesting in seats in the Kashmir Valley and many are likely to emerge victorious, apart from regional outfits. BJP is only contesting 62 seats out of the total 90 seats in J&K this time and the party has not put up candidates on 28 seats in the Kashmir Valley.
None of the three families in J&K — the Farooq Abdullah family, the Mehbooba Mufti family, and the Congress — will be able to form the government in J&K, a source in the BJP said.
BJP is hopeful of a record showing in the Jammu region, given the aggressive campaign by its top leaders and the reservation benefits which have been rolled out in the region in recent years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi campaigned in Doda on Sunday, while Home Minister Amit Shah will hold three rallies in Gulabagh, Kishtwar and Raman on Monday.
Not in favour of Rashid
The BJP, however, is not in favour of candidates put up by the party of Engineer Rashid or Jamaat-e-Islami and sources said the party is against anyone who foments terrorism and separatism in the Valley.
Rashid was lodged in jail under UAPA and recently got interim bail, which BJP leaders are attributing to the precedent of how Arvind Kejriwal got interim bail for election campaigning earlier. BJP is against Rashid as he was booked under the stringent law and the National Investigation Agency had opposed his bail.
Both Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti have termed Rashid as the B-team of the BJP but BJP leaders say there is no meeting of mind with Rashid at all.
BJP will wait for J&K election results on October 8 before its next move regarding independents and regional outfits in Kashmir Valley. Source
