Srinagar, August 27: The BJP on Tuesday announced another list of 29 candidates for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, taking its total to 45.
In its latest list, the party has nominated Devendra Singh Rana as its candidate from Nagrota constituency, its stronghold.
According to a BJP leader, Rana, a three-time legislator, is known for his humble and approachable demeanor, which makes him a popular public leader with influence in Jammu and Kashmir.
The leader said that over the years, he has effectively nurtured and developed the Nigrota constituency, earning the trust and support of all sections of the society. He further said that he has the support of Muslim and Gujjar community in Jammu and Kashmir.
Rana, a supporter of the Jammu Declaration – a roadmap for an inclusive Jammu and Kashmir, left the Farooq Abdullah-led National Conference and joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) three years ago.
In 2014, he won from the Hindu-majority Nagarota Assembly seat in Jammu on a National Conference ticket. He also served as political advisor to Omar Abdullah when Omar Abdullah was the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir.
His entry into the BJP was met with great enthusiasm by the people of the region, further cementing his position as a key political figure in Jammu and Kashmir.
His nomination from Nagrota is being seen as a strategic move by the BJP, with deep roots and wide acceptance in the constituency.