Rebel’s entry puts BJP on sticky wicket in J&K’s Udhampur East
Direct fight between BJP’s former MLA RS Pathania and former vice president of party’s local unit Pawan Kahjuria on cards
Going into its maiden assembly elections post delimitation exercise in May 2022, the Hindu majority Udhampur East assembly constituency has nine candidates in fray. A direct contest, however, is being anticipated between Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate RS Pathania and party rebel Pawan Khajuria, who is contesting as an independent.
Khajuria, the former vice-president of BJP’s local unit, has been allotted the “sewing machine” election symbol.
Besides, Achhav Singh of the Bahujan Samaj Party, Baqeel Singh of the Peoples Democratic Party, Balwan Singh, another BJP rebel, who is contesting as Panthers Party (India) candidate, Sunil Verma of the National Conference, Sahil Gandotra of the Shiv Sena (UBT), Soma and Mohinder Singh, the two independent candidates are also trying their luck from the constituency.
Congress, an alliance partner of the NC, has not fielded its candidate and is supporting Verma.
“We are anticipating a direct contest between Pathania and Khajuria. Though Pathania, a native of Majalta, which is part of the Udhampur east constituency and whose father was a senior Congress leader, is widely accepted in the area, Khajuria is riding high on sympathy wave after he was denied party ticket,” Dinesh Gupta, a local, said.
“Pathania claims that development has taken place in Udhampur East due to efforts of the BJP and it would not be wrong to say that core workers of the BJP in Udhampur usually go with the party. However, the BJP has so far not sent any senior leader in the constituency for a rally but they still have the time,” said Gupta.
Another local, Vimesh Sharma, opined that BJP’s former vice-president Khajuria, who devoted 35 long years to the saffron party, has all the ingredients needed to turn the tables on Pathania.
“His rallies are getting overwhelming response across the constituency. He was a front-runner for the BJP mandate but was denied at the eleventh hour. He is getting a lot of sympathy from the people and that may cost dearly to the BJP,” Sharma added.
After Khajuria decided to contest as an independent candidate, several BJP leaders like district development councillor from Jaganoo, Prikshit Singh, and others resigned from the BJP and joined him.
On September 10, Khajuria had compounded BJP’s problems after he announced to contest as an independent and the very next day he, joined by hundreds of his supporters, filed his nomination papers.
Khajuria has already called the contest a fight between “real” and “fake” BJP. “Those who have been given mandates belong to the fake BJP. They are fugitives and deserters from other parties,” he said.
It may be recalled here that Pathania riding the Modi wave had won 2014 assembly elections from Ramnagar seat on a BJP mandate, defeating Harsh Dev Singh of the Panthers Party.
However, despite the Modi wave, Khajuria had finished third on Udhampur seat. Pawan Gupta, who was then with the BJP, contested as an independent. Gupta went on to win the seat defeating Balwant Singh Mankotia, who was with Panthers Party then. Gupta later rejoined the BJP.
Ten years later, the BJP has given mandate to Pathania from Udhampur East.
Post the delimitation exercise, Udhampur district now has four assembly constituencies, viz, Udhampur East, Udhampur West, Ramnagar and Chenani.
The saffron party has been rattled by open revolt by local leaders, who were angry over party mandate to “parachuted and non-deserving candidates”. On September 18, the BJP had even suspended three senior party leaders for contesting assembly elections against party candidates that included Khajuria, Balwan Singh and Narinder Singh Bhau.