E-Paper
BJP to elect LoP in J&K assembly soon: Raina
Through the BJP managed to win 29 of 43 seats in the Hindu-majority Jammu region, it drew a blank in the Muslim-dominated Kashmir valley
Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) J&K unit chief Ravinder Raina said on Monday that the saffron party will name the leader of Opposition for the Union territory soon.
He, however, refused to disclose any names that were being considered by the party’s leadership.
The BJP on Monday felicitated its 29 newly elected MLAs, all from the Jammu region, at its office in the city.
Through the BJP managed to win 29 of 43 seats in the Hindu-majority Jammu region, it drew a blank in the Muslim-dominated Kashmir valley.
The National Conference and the Congress, who contested the polls in an alliance, are set to form the government after securing 48 seats in the 90-member House.
On leader of Opposition, Raina said, “BJP president JP Nadda has appointed two central observers—Union minister Prahlad Joshi and party national general secretary Tarun Chugh, who will visit Jammu in the next two to three days. They will reach out to the elected MLAs and leader of the opposition will be decided.”
Padder Nagseni MLA Sunil Kumar Sharma and Nagrota MLA Devender Singh Rana are among the front-runners for the post, sources within the party said.
BJP emerged as the second-largest party and secured the highest vote share of 25.64% in the assembly elections.
The NC got 23.43% of the votes and the Congress received 11.97%.
The Peoples Democratic party (PDP) got 8.87% of the votes.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from Doda Mehraj Malik emerged as a dark horse.
With 29 members in the assembly, the BJP is going test the NC-Congress coalition government, which is headed by CM-designate Omar Abdullah.
Earlier, senior BJP leaders, including former deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh, MP Jugal Kishore and J&K unit working president Sat Paul Sharma, led by Raina, felicitated the MLAs.
