The BJP is suffering an internal crisis in Jammu and Kashmir after it decided to withhold party tickets from several veteran leaders in its stronghold of Jammu. The move has resulted in a wave of resignations and unrest among the party ranks, with senior members openly expressing their discontent.
Chander Mohan Sharma, who was with the BJP for more than 50 years resigned from the party in protest. Sharma’s exit has marked a significant blow to the party, given his long-standing association and influence within the Jammu region. Following in his footsteps, Rohit Dubey, another senior leader from the Vaishno Devi seat in Katra, is also expected to leave the party. Dubey, like Sharma, might contest as an independent candidate, signalling deeper cracks within the party’s foundation.
The BJP’s latest candidate list excluded several prominent figures, including former deputy chief ministers Kavinder Gupta and Nirmal Singh, former J&K party president Sat Sharma, and former MLAs Sukhnandan and Bali Bhagat. These leaders, all of whom had expectations to be nominees, found themselves replaced by fresh faces, the decision is causing widespread dissatisfaction, leading to public protests by party workers in Jammu and other areas.
The excluded leaders are now exploring options, with some reportedly in contact with Congress. Others are biding their time, waiting to see how the situation unfolds before making any decisions.
Chander Mohan Sharma, who quit on Friday, voiced his frustration with the candidate selection process. Sharma argued that the decision-making lacked seriousness and consideration, leading to widespread unhappiness among BJP workers in the Jammu region. Sharma has made it clear that his resignation will stand unless he is given the chance to contest from the Jammu East constituency; otherwise, he intends to run as an independent.
In a show of solidarity, the BJP’s Yuva Morcha Jammu president and his team have resigned from the party as well, further concreting the growing discontent.
Another senior BJP leader, Kashmira Singh, resigned after being denied a ticket from the Samba Assembly constituency. He is also expected to contest as an Independent.
The BJP has chosen Surjit Singh Slathia, a former National Conference leader who had entered the party after the Article 370 abrogation, as its candidate for the Samba seat. The elections will be conducted in three phases, and the outcome will be closely watched, especially in light of the current internal turmoil.
