SRI NAGAR: Atleast 70 candidates of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), who are contesting the Urban Local Bodies (ULB) polls in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), have been elected unopposed according to senior officials of the party’s state unit.
“Our party has fielded 297 candidates in Valley including in volatile areas of militancy-infested south Kashmir and other parts,” state BJP general secretary (Organisation), Ashok Koul, told TNIE.
He said 20-25 candidates had been elected uncontested from the Valley, however, other sources in the party said the number is at 70.
About 190 candidates have been elected unopposed for first three phases of the polls.Only the BJP, its ally Sajjad Gani Lone’s Peoples Conference, the Congress and some Independent candidates are contesting the polls as two of the state’s biggest parties, the National Conference (NC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) have boycotted the ULB and the 9-phase Panchayat polls over the Central government’s stand on Article 35A of the Constitution which grants special privileges to the people of the state.
The polls are scheduled to be held on October 8, 10, 13 and 16.The candidates include 48-year-old Farooq Ahmed Khan who is a former militant of the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF). Farooq, who hails from uptown Srinagar, is contesting elections for the Srinagar Municipal Committee (SMC).
“I am very happy to participate in the ULB polls. I have gone through struggle and difficulties in my life and now I want to work for the welfare of my people,” he said.
The BJP also released its manifesto for the ULB polls on Thursday. The party promised to develop a smart city and beautify other cities.