Jammu and Kashmir elections: BJP names Ram Madhav, G Kishan Reddy as poll in-charges

Jammu and Kashmir had last held an assembly election in 2014, when it was a state.

Updated on: Aug 21, 2024, 05:28:52 IST

By HT News Desk

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The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday named former general secretary Ram Madhav and Union minister G Kishan Reddy as in-charges for the upcoming assembly elections in the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

"BJP national president JP Nadda has appointed Ram Madhav, former national general secretary, and Union minister G Kishan Reddy as election in-charge for upcoming assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir," a statement issued by the party's general secretary Arun Singh said.

Ram Madhav (left) and G Kishan Reddy will be poll in-charges for the Jammu and Kashmir elections

"This appointment comes into effect immediately," the statement added.

Hailing from Andhra Pradesh, Madhav was inducted into the BJP from its ideological mentor Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in 2014 after Prime Minister Narendra Modi took office.

ALSO READ: J&K assembly elections: BJP candidates names this week, says Union minister

Jammu and Kashmir had last held an assembly election in 2014, when it was a state. After the polls that year produced a hung verdict, Madhav was instrumental in bringing together BJP and Mufti Mohammed Sayeed's People's Democratic Party (PDP) to form a coalition government that lasted from 2015 to 2018.

ALSO READ: Canvassing picks up pace in Jammu after assembly polls announcement

Madhav served as BJP national general secretary during 2014-20 period. He was responsible for handling the political affairs of Jammu and Kashmir, Assam and other Northeastern states.

In a reshuffle on September 26, 2020, the BJP dropped Madhav and several other general secretaries to bring in new faces in its team.

Reddy is currently Union minister of coal and mines in the Narendra Modi government.

J&K Assembly elections

The elections to the legislative assembly of Jammu and Kashmir will be held in three phases on September 18, 25 and October 1. The counting of votes will take place on October 4.

The elections in J&K are being held amid rise in terror-related incidents, including in the Jammu region. The Centre has deployed nearly 300 companies of paramilitary forces for election duties in the Kashmir valley, officials told PTI.

The companies have been deputed in Srinagar, Handwara, Ganderbal, Budgam, Kupwara, Baramulla, Bandipora, Anantnag, Shopian, Pulwama, Awantipora, and Kulgam, they said.

(Witth PTI inputs)

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