Quantum of consolation for BJP: Defeated but best show yet | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: The BJP’s dreams of forming its first government in J&K remain unfulfilled, but it became the second largest party by winning 29 constituencies in the first elections after the annulment of Article 370, marking its record high from 25 seats in the 2014 elections.
The party had expected better performance from the independents against the mainstream parties in the Valley and formation of the government with their support, but the NC-Congress combine swept the polls and got a clear mandate.
However, there is a sense of satisfaction among the BJP leadership over a substantial increase in poll percentage across the region as they view it as a show of support for the Modi government’s decisions.
“BJP has given the best performance so far. We won 29 seats and it is satisfactory that we conducted these elections solely on the issue of development,” said Union Minister Jitendra SinghMP from Udhampur.
BJP faced a setback with the Union Territory president Ravinder Raina losing from Nowshera constituency at the hands of National Conference. The party also failed to win any seats in Kashmir, where most of its nearly two dozen candidates lost their deposits.
The party failed in its bid to make inroads into the Pir Panjal region of Rajouri and Poonch districts by fielding several defectors from the Gujjar and Pahari communities, including two former ministers – Choudhary Zulfikar Ali (Budhal) and Syed Mushtaq Bukhari (Surankote) – who lost by huge margins of 18,908 votes and 10,428 votes. By the way, 75-year-old Bukhari died on October 2.
Besides the two former ministers, four ex-legislators, including Raina, lost to their rivals.
However, twelve former lawmakers, including seven ministers, successfully contested the elections and most retained their seats. The other party winners are new faces, including a former police officer, a university professor and an ex-bureaucrat who recently retired to contest the elections.