New Delhi: The BJP on Sunday named three candidates, including its Jammu and Kashmir unit president Sat Pal Sharma, for the elections to four Rajya Sabha seats in the Union Territory scheduled for October 24.
However, the party fumbled on one name, fumbled and corrected and that was when it said it was not Ghulam Mohammad Mir but Dr Ali Mohammad Mir.
Earlier, the two other candidates were nominated as Ghulam Mohammed Mir and Rakesh Mahajan.
However, within less than an hour, BJP on Saturday issued a formal clarification regarding its earlier announcement of candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections. The statement, released by the office of National General Secretary Tarun Chugh, addressed an error in the previously circulated list of party nominees.
According to the clarification, the name mentioned at Serial No. 1 in the earlier communication as Ghulam Mohammad Mir was incorrect. The party has officially corrected the name to Dr. Ali Mohammad Mir, who will now be the BJP’s candidate for the Rajya Sabha seat. The correction came after a round of internal consultations within the party leadership, party statements said.
The Election Commission has issued three separate notifications for the elections to four seats.
The National Conference-Congress combine has an edge in three seats while the BJP has in one, going by their strength in the assembly.
The BJP’s decision to force a contest will spice up the polling, as it is expected to spearhead an intensive exercise to woo MLAs from other parties to shore up support for its candidates.
The ruling National Conference in Jammu and Kashmir had on Friday announced the names of its three candidates for the Rajya Sabha polls to be held on October 24, and said discussions were on with the Congress for the fourth seat.
