Nitish Kumar's JD(U) gears up for J&K assembly polls, will contest 40 seats in Union territory

The last assembly election in J&K was held in 2014, after which a coalition government of the BJP and the PDP came to power, but it collapsed in June 2018.

Updated on: Jun 15, 2024, 20:00:08 IST

By HT News Desk

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As a partner in the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre, the Janata Dal (United) has significantly increased its political activities in Jammu and Kashmir and has decided to field at least forty candidates in the upcoming assembly polls in the union territory.

Nitish Kumar's Janata Dal (United) to contest 40 seats in the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls. (Photo by Santosh Kumar /Hindustan Times)

Polls to elect a 90-member House in Jammu and Kashmir are speculated to be held before September 30, 2024. The last assembly election in the Union territory was held in 2014, after which a coalition government of the BJP and the PDP came to power, but it collapsed in June 2018.

“Under Nitish Kumar’s leadership, we have begun to strengthen the party’s base in the region. In the upcoming assembly polls, at least forty candidates will be fielded,” said JDU’s state president, GM Shaheen.

As JD(U) is one of the NDA partners at the Centre, there has been an increase in people joining the party in the union territory, he added.

“We have also started reorganising our committees at the grassroots level,” said Shaheen.

The key political parties in Jammu and Kashmir include the National Conference, Congress, Peoples’ Democratic Party, and the BJP, which has established a strong base in the union territory.

Shaheen said his party had made its footprints earlier, but it collapsed after 2000 due to leadership issues and has been working aggressively in the recent years.

“We contested the panchayat and municipal elections held in 2018-19. Currently we have over 100 sarpanchs and municipal committee members,” he said.

Janata Dal (United) was formed with the merger of the Sharad Yadav faction of the Janata Dal, the Lok Shakti Party on 30 October 2003. The party has not won a Lok Sabha or assembly seat in the union territory.

However, it remains to be seen how the Nitish Kumar-led party will perform and field its candidate as BJP has decided to contest all ninety seats of Jammu and Kashmir.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah who was on a two-day visit to the UT recently had, urged his party workers to gear up for the contest scheduled later this year.

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HT News Desk
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