Arteev Sharma
Jammu: Three-time MLA and former minister, Harsh Dev Singh of the J&K Panthers Party (India) has decided to contest the upcoming by-election in the Nagrota assembly segment, which was necessitated by the death of senior BJP leader and former MLA from the seat, Devender Singh Rana.
Singh’s entry into Nagrota has stirred a political chatter in Nagrota assembly constituency as he shifts his focus from Chenani assembly constituency, where he lost to his arch-rival from the BJP, Balwant Singh Mankotia in the assembly elections held last October by a big margin of over 15,000 votes. This defeat was another setback for Singh, who has not been able to secure a seat in the legislative assembly since 2014.
“I have decided to contest from the Nagrota assembly segment in the upcoming by-election as a J&K Panthers Party candidate. I have full faith in the people of Nagrota who will definitely cast their votes in my favour to change the political landscape of the assembly segment,” Singh told The News Now.
When asked about potential support from the INDIA bloc, Singh said, “I had a detailed discussion with National Conference president Dr. Farooq Abdullah, who expressed his desire to see me in the legislative assembly. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has also assured me of support. Other political parties are expected to extend their backing as well.”
Pertinently, the NC had fielded its own candidate, Joginder Singh alias Kaku in 2024 assembly elections against the BJP’s strong candidate, late Devender Singh Rana who defeated the former in a one-way contest with the highest margin of 30,472 votes across all 90 assembly seats of Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly.
Devender Singh Rana’s popularity in the assembly segment could be gauged from the fact that he defeated the BJP’s candidate Nand Kishore Sharma by a margin of over 4,000 in the 2014 assembly polls when the Saffron party was riding high on Modi wave which saw the BJP secure 25 seats in the assembly at that time.
However, sources suggest the NC is still undecided about fielding its candidate for the by-poll. “The National Conference has a strong support base in the Nagrota constituency. Having won the seat in 1996 and 2014, the party may prioritize fielding its candidate over supporting the INDIA bloc or any other party’s candidate,” sources said.
Singh’s decision to contest from Nagrota is being viewed as a “desperate attempt” to regain political relevance and re-establish his foothold in the region.
The constituency, known for its diverse voter base, is set to witness a high-stakes battle following the death of its popular leader Devender Singh Rana whose daughter Devyani Rana, who has recently nominated as vice-president of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha of J&K unit, is seen as a potential candidate of BJP from the seat in the upcoming by-election.
Nand Kishore Sharma, brother of three-time Lok Sabha member from Jammu seat Jugal Kishore Sharma, is also making strenuous efforts to get the BJP mandate from the seat. The recent appointment of Sharma’s close confidants as Mandal presidents across Nagrota’s four blocks, have fueled these speculations.
Meanwhile, Harsh Dev Singh has launched his campaign in the constituency and his entry would definitely add some spice to the electoral dynamics in the constituency.
In the 2014 assembly elections, Singh being a J&K Panthers Party candidate lost to the BJP candidate R S Pathania from his traditional Ramnagar assembly seat by a huge margin of 17,420 votes. He won from Ramnagar seat in 1996, 2002 and 2008 assembly elections by defeating the BSP candidates with a margin of 601 votes, 16,484 votes and 12,146 votes respectively.
