Sunil Sharma From Padder-Nagseni: A Safe Bet For BJP's Former Minister? (image:x.com/Sunil_SharmaBJP)

In the forthcoming Assembly elections, BJP Senior Leader and Jammu and Kashmir UT General Secretary Sunil Kumar Sharma will contest from Padder-Nagseni assembly constituency. He served as a minister in the former PDP-BJP government.

In 2014 elections, Sharma had fielded and won the polls from Kishtwar assembly segment. He contested against National Conference (NC) candidate Sajjad Ahmed Kichloo and secured victory by a margin of 2852 votes.

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Suni Sharma faced criminal charges for his alleged involvement in the 2008 communal clashes in eastern Kishtwar district of the State. However, the charges did not deter the coalition alliance to chose him as a minister.

Meanwhile, Rocky Gowsawmi, a prominent BJP youth leader who resigned from the post of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) district president, Kishtwar submitted nomination as an independent candidate from Padder-Nagseni constituency on August 27, Tuesday. He accused Sunil Sharma for shifting to the safer seat in order to maintain his superiority in the district and to make it easier for NC leader and former minister Sajjad Ahmad Kitchloo secure victory in the seat.

This time, new face Shagun Parihar will contest from the Kishtwar on a BJP ticket.

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Jammu and Kashmir has been functioning without an elected government for five years now and assembly were last held in 2014. For the 90 assembly constituencies, Assembly elections will be held on three phases –  September 18, September 25 and October 1. The results will be announced on October 4. The BJP is going contest the Assembly polls, without forming an alliance with any party.