Akhnoor (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], August 31 (ANI): The Bharatiya Janata Party workers including locals of the Chhamb constituency protested against the BJP candidate list, demanding local candidates in the forthcoming Jammu and Kashmir elections.
Many BJP workers threatened to boycott the Jammu and Kashmir polls and demanded to drop preferred leaders and award tickets to the local representatives.
Chanchal Sharma, a local protestor, said that everyone is demanding that in the elections local candidates should be given the chance.
“People of the Chhamb area have gathered here. Regarding the BJP candidates, everyone is demanding that we should be given local candidates… There are 4-5 others, everyone wants any of them to be the candidate… I am a common man and I came here from a nearby village,” a local protestor told ANI.
A local BJP leader, Ashok Sharma said that they would boycott the Jammu and Kashmir elections.
“The people here love their country. Our only demand is that we want a local candidate… There are 4-5 leaders who have been working with the people day and night. They have been sidelined and a candidate from outside has been given to us… We have no anger against the party but all we are saying is that a wrong decision has been made and it should be withdrawn. Otherwise, we will boycott the elections,” Ashok Sharma said. 
Carrying placards, “Bahar Ka Pratyashi Nahi Chalega” (outside candidate is not acceptable), “Chhamb Ki Janata Ki Awaz, Local Pratyashi” (local candidate is the voice of Chhamb people), and “Hum Kya Chahte, Local Pratyashi” (we want local representative), hundreds of people took out a protest march.
The BJP has announced Rajeev Sharma as its candidate from the Chhamb Assembly Segment.
Polling in Jammu and Kashmir will be conducted in three phases on September 18, 25, and October 1, according to the Election Commission of India. The counting of votes will take place on October 4.
There are a total number of 90 assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir, out of which 7 seats are reserved for SCs and 9 seats are reserved for STs.
According to the Election Commission of India, Jammu and Kashmir has 88.06 lakh eligible electors.
Notably, in the last Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, the PDP won 28 votes, the Bharatiya Janata Party won 25 votes, the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference won 15 votes and the Congress won 12 votes.
The PDP and BJP formed a coalition government led by Mufti Mohammed Sayeed. However, in 2018, the BJP withdrew its support from the alliance after Mehbooba Mufti took over following Mufti Mohammed Sayeed’s demise.
These are the first assembly elections to be held in Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370. (ANI)
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