The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday announced its candidates for the upcoming by-elections to two assembly constituencies in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. According to an official release, AAP’s Political Affairs Committee (PAC) has approved the candidature of Diba Khan from the Budgam constituency, while Joginder Singh has been fielded from the Nagrota seat.
By-elections for the Nagrota and Budgam assembly constituencies will be held on November 11 and the results will be declared on November 14. The by-elections to the Budgam seat were necessitated due to the resignation of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, while the by-elections to the Nagrota seat were necessitated due to the demise of MLA Devendra Singh Rana. On October 6, the Election Commission of India (ECI) announced that for eight assembly constituencies in seven states and union territories by-election 11 At present, AAP has one elected representative in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, Mehraj Malik, representing the Doda constituency. With these by-elections, the party is aiming to increase its political footprint in the region.
Meanwhile, elections for four Rajya Sabha seats of Jammu and Kashmir will be held on October 24. All four Rajya Sabha seats of Jammu and Kashmir are vacant since February 2021 after the retirement of Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mir Mohammad Faiyaz, Shamsher Singh and Nazir Ahmed Laway. Jammu and Kashmir National Conference has announced the names of candidates for three seats. The party has declared Chaudhary Mohammad Ramzan, Sajjad Ahmed Kitchlu and Shammi Oberoi as its candidates, and the fourth A decision on the seat is expected in the coming days.
Rakesh Mahajan is the vice president of the state BJP unit. Ghulam Mohammad Mir was the BJP candidate from Handwara assembly constituency in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections held last year. He had to face defeat from Sajjad Gani Lone of National Conference.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced the names of three candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in the Union Territory. The party has named Ghulam Mohammed Mir, Rakesh Mahajan and Sat Sharma as its candidates. Satpal Sharma is serving his second term as BJP Jammu and Kashmir president, having previously led the state unit from 2015 to 2018 and served as a cabinet minister in the government led by former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti.