BJP Reshuffles Leadership in Jammu and Kashmir

BJP appointed Sat Sharma as president in Jammu and Kashmir, with Ravinder Raina joining the National Executive. Sharma previously served in the BJP-PDP government, while Raina contested but lost the Nowshera constituency. This election marked the first in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has appointed Sat Sharma as the new president for the party's Jammu and Kashmir wing. The announcement, made on Sunday, also revealed that the current BJP president, Ravinder Raina, has been appointed to the National Executive membership, according to the party's official notice.

Sat Sharma's appointment as the working president of the J&K BJP took place on September 9. A seasoned politician, Sharma previously held a cabinet position in the BJP-PDP coalition government, representing the Jammu West constituency after his victory in the 2014 assembly elections. During his tenure, he was responsible for the Housing and Urban Development portfolio.

Meanwhile, Ravinder Raina, a newly appointed member of the BJP's National Executive, recently contested the Nowshera constituency in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections. Despite a spirited campaign, Raina was defeated by Surinder Choudhary of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC). The BJP secured a total of 29 seats, although the electorates saw the JKNC's Omar Abdullah securing the Chief Minister position, backed by the Congress-NC alliance. This election, conducted after the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, signified a turning point in the region's political landscape.

(With inputs from agencies.)