Modi likely to address three rallies in Jammu

LS candidates’ announcement on Mar 16

JAMMU: The Prime Minister Narendra Modi is most likely to address three election rallies in Jammu, Rajouri and Akhnoor for which the dates will be announced soon, party insiders informed.
They said that apart Modi, BJP’s national president Amit Shah will also address at least one election rally at Jammu, at places other than those designated for Prime Minister’s.

“We have written to the party high command requesting three rallies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Jammu and also that of our national president Amit Shah,” a senior leader of the BJP, who is also member of the state election committee, told The news Now.

The party high command has given its consent and the dates will be announced soon, he said.
Meanwhile, sources in the party informed that some other senior central leaders of the party and the union ministers will also be camping in Jammu for campaigning of the 2019 Parliamentary elections and will also hold rallies.

Meanwhile, reliable sources in the party also informed that two sitting Members of Parliament (MP) i.e Jugal Kishore Sharma from Jammu-Poonch seat and Dr Jitendera Singh from Kathua-Udhampur-Doda seat are most likely to be repeated as they also have the backing of RSS.

The formal announcement of candidates for both seats of Jammu region is likely to be made on March 16 by the Parliamentary Board of the party, they said.

Sources informed that RSS is also in favor of both these sitting MPs in view of their performance.
“The Sangh has already given its nod for both these sitting MPs,” they said.

Dr Jitendera is union minister in Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). He defeated former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad in 2014 Lok Sabha elections. Azad is now Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha. The two Lok Sabha seats of Jammu region are represented by the BJP.

“The state election committee of the BJP will meet on March 15 to discuss the probable names of the candidates after which they will be sent to the party’s Parliamentary Board, the final authority to take call,” BJP state general secretary and member of the state election committee, Yudhvir Sethi said.

However, it would just be a formality as majority in the state election committee is in favor of both the sitting MPs, sources said.

The BJP’s Parliamentary Board will sit on March 16 to finalise the candidates after which formal announcement will be made, they said.

Updated On 3/14/2019 11:17:19 AM