SRINAGAR: The BJP, which is hopeful of forming the next government in Jammu and Kashmir, is
likely to face the maiden Assembly election in the Union Territory without a chief minister’s face.
With the Delimitation Commission submitting its final report, the first Assembly poll in the UT is likely to be held in October-November this year.
The BJP, which is currently the most active among political parties in J&K, has intensified activities both in Kashmir and Jammu provinces. BJP spokesman Arun Gupta said the party is ready for elections.
“We are ready both in Kashmir and Jammu. We are working on ‘Mission 50’ and will achieve it,” he said.
Gupta said the decision on CM’s face would be taken by the party high command at an appropriate time.
He said contesting the election is important and the central leadership will decide who will be CM.
“The elections are not fought on who will be the CM or not. It is contested to ensure that the party gets maximum seats and party leaders work for that,” he said.
“The CM face will be decided only after the elections,” added Gupta.
Senior J&K BJP leader and MoS PMO Dr Jitendra Singh and J&K BJP chief Ravindra Raina are said to be frontrunners for the BJP’s CM probables.
However, BJP sources said nothing could be said with certainty whether Singh or Raina would be party’s CM candidate or somebody else would be appointed as the CM after the elections, in case the party wins the poll.
With the completion of the delimitation exercise, J&K Assembly’s strength has risen from 83 to 90. Of the 90 seats, Kashmir will be having 47 seats and Jammu 43 seats.
Nine seats have been reserved for Scheduled Castes and seven for Scheduled Tribes.
J&K BJP chief Ravindra Raina said now that the delimitation exercise has been completed, the elections in J&K will be held soon.
“I think within the next few months, election for J&K Assembly will be held. It will be an important election,” he said.
Raina said the BJP is confident of forming the next government in J&K and having the CM from the party.
In the 2014 Assembly poll, BJP had emerged as the second largest party by winning 25 of the 87 seats and formed a coalition government with PDP.