J&K polls: BJP fails to make impact in Pir Panchal region

Jammu, Oct 9 (PTI) The BJP, which was hoping to capitalise on the Centre’s decision granting reservation to Gujjars and Paharis in the Pir Panchal region, failed to make much impact in eight assembly constituencies in the border region covering Rajouri and Poonch districts.

The party managed to win only Hindu-majority Kalakote seat in Rajouri district, one seat less than its 2014 assembly election tally.

The National Conference-Congress alliance won five of the eight assembly seats in the region, dealing a significant blow to the BJP’s election ambitions.

The Pir Panchal region has long been a stronghold of the National Conference.

Despite securing 201,351 votes in the Pir Panchal region, the BJP got just one seat, while the NC-Congress alliance garnered 233,477 votes and five seats.

The BJP had fielded five Gujjar candidates and a Pahari candidate across the Rajouri-Poonch belt.

“Although we could win only one seat in Rajouri and Poonch districts, people voted for us. There was a time when no candidates were ready to contest elections for us, but today our nominees garnered significant votes. We thank the voters of the belt,” J&K BJP president Ravinder Raina said.

Out of the eight seats in Pir Panchal, five were reserved for STs, and the BJP fielded five Gujjar-Pahari candidates in key constituencies such as Thanamandi, Budhal, Poonch, Surankote, and Mendhar.

However, the results were disappointing for the BJP as it lost key seats like Nowshera, Thanamandi, Budhal, Rajouri, Mendhar, Poonch, and Surankote.

The NC won four seats, including Mendhar, Poonch, Budhal, and Nowshera, while the Congress secured one seat in Rajouri. The PDP, which had won three seats in the region in 2014 elections, failed to open its account this time.

In Budhal, NC’s Javaid Iqbal defeated BJP candidate and former minister Choudhary Zulfikar Ali by a margin of 18,908 votes. Similarly, BJP’s Ravinder Raina lost to NC’s Surinder Choudhary in Nowshera.

BJP candidates Vibod Kumar and Iqbal Malik also lost their respective contests in Rajouri and Thanamandi to Congress’ Iftikar Ahmed and independent candidate Muzaffar Iqbal Khan.

BJP candidates Murtaza Khan, Choudhary Abdul Ghani, and Mushtaq Ahmed Bukhari were defeated by NC candidates Javed Rana, Ajay Ahmed Jan, and independent candidate Choudhary Mohammad Akram in Mendhar, Poonch, and Surankote.

The BJP has attributed its loss to polarization allegedly created by NC leaders during the campaign.

“It was a clear case of polarization that cost us these seats. We were confident of winning most of the constituencies in this region, but NC leaders, Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah, managed to change the narrative by invoking religion. They portrayed the BJP as anti-Muslims,” BJP spokesperson G L Raina told PTI.

He further said that while BJP leaders focused on peace, development and welfare schemes, NC employed tactics that stirred religious fears and polarization among the voters, changing the electoral landscape.

The BJP had heavily invested in the Pir Panchal region, hoping that the recent grant of reservation to Gujjars and Paharis would help them reach their target of 40 seats in Jammu and Kashmir.

“Out of the nine Scheduled Tribe (ST) seats in the state, six are in the Jammu region – five in Rajouri-Poonch and one in Reasi – with the remaining three in the Kashmir valley. Gujjars and Bakarwals, who have a significant presence in Rajouri and Poonch, were a key focus of the BJP’s campaign,” political expert Vikas Kumar said.

The BJP had tried to woo these communities, who have a distinct identity from Kashmiri Muslims, during its campaigning.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, and several other Union ministers addressed mega rallies in the region, promising further job reservations, welfare schemes, and development projects. However, these efforts did not translate into electoral success.

Star campaigners also emphasized the Centre’s grant of ST status to new communities, including Paharis, as a step toward securing better representation for them.

The region had benefited from the reservation move earlier this year, with new inclusions such as Pahari, Paddari, Gaddi Brahmin, and Koli communities.

“We thank the voters of Rajouri and Poonch for their support. Although we lost key seats like Nowshera, we are grateful to the voters, and will carefully assess the situation,” said J&K BJP chief Raina.