“BJP always ready for elections”: Former MLA Abdul Gani Kohli

Jammu (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], August 18 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party’s former MLA Abdul Gani Kohli said on Sunday that the BJP leaders are arriving in Jammu and Kashmir from Delhi to work out the list of candidates for the Assembly elections in the Union Territory.

The polling in the UT will be held in three phases on September 18, 25, and October 1, as per the Election Commission of India. The counting of the votes will take place on October 4.

“There is no doubt that the BJP is always ready for the elections. The party has to take steps with the announcement of the election schedule by the Election Commission. They have to work out the list of candidates,” he told ANI.

Notably, in 2014, Kohli became the BJP’s first Muslim MLA in Jammu and Kashmir when he defeated two-time National Conference MLA Rashpal Singh by a margin of 6,178 votes in the Kalakote Assembly seat of Rajouri district, Jammu.

“The members of our Election Committee or other concerned leaders of the party are arriving here from Delhi,” he said.

“It is going to be hectic over the next 2-4 days. Because we were not expecting the election schedule would be announced very soon,” he added.

On Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali, former cabinet minister of Jammu and Kashmir, joining the BJP, he said, “He has served as an MLA and a minister. He has an impact across his area. I believe, it will be useful for the party”.

These are the first elections to be held in Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Kashmir in March and announced development packages worth crores of rupees to boost agriculture and tourism.

The election body has directed the enforcement agencies to be impartial and transparent for smooth and fair polling, ensuring a level playing field.

There are a total of 90 assembly constituencies, of which 74 are general, nine are ST, and seven are SC. There are 87.09 lakh total electors, including 44.46 lakh are male, 42.62 lakh are female, 169 are transgender, 82,590 PwDs, 73943 are very senior citizens, 2660 are centenarians, 76092 are service electors, and 3.71 lakh are first-time voters.

Jammu and Kashmir will witness elections after a gap of 10 years, as the last assembly election was held in 2014. The PDP-BJP coalition government fell in June 2018 when the latter withdrew support to the then-Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti.

In December of last year, the Supreme Court directed the Centre to conclude the election process by September 30, 2024.