Two days after Chief Minister Omar Abdullah addressed a rally to mobilize support for his party's candidate, Shamim Begum, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rolled out an aggressive campaign strategy for the high-stakes Nagrota Assembly byelection, aiming for a resounding victory for its candidate, Divyani Rana — daughter of the late Devender Singh Rana.
On Saturday, Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh, who is also the uncle of BJP candidate Divyani Rana, along with Lok Sabha MP Jugal Kishore Sharma and other senior leaders, joined the campaign trail to galvanize public support.
The party has already deployed all its top leaders, including the presidents of various party Morchas, for the campaign, which concludes on Sunday evening. Polling for the Nagrota byelection will be held on November 11.
By-election Holds Significance for BJP
Although the outcome of the Nagrota byelection will not affect the Omar Abdullah-led government, it carries major symbolic importance for the BJP, which is determined to retain its dominance in the constituency — a seat won by Devender Singh Rana with a record margin in 2024.
The Nagrota constituency delivered a landslide victory for Rana in the 2024 Assembly elections when he secured 48,113 votes against 17,641 polled by his nearest rival, Joginder Singh of the National Conference (NC). In the 2024 Assembly elections, Devender Singh Rana won the Nagrota Assembly elections with a margin of 30,472, which was the highest margin in the whole of Jammu and Kashmir.
After the untimely demise of Devender Singh Rana in October 2024, the seat fell vacant. After the announcement of the byelection of the seat the BJP fielded his daughter, Divyani Rana, to carry forward his political legacy. The young leader, known for her active involvement in social and community initiatives, has emerged as the face of continuity for the party's developmental agenda in the constituency.
BJP's Full-Scale Campaign Push
To secure a decisive victory, the BJP has mobilized its entire organizational machinery in Nagrota. The newly elected Rajya Sabha member and president of the BJP's Jammu and Kashmir unit, Sat Pal Sharma, along with general secretary (organization) Ashok Koul, has assumed direct command of the campaign. Both leaders are holding daily strategy meetings with district and mandal-level teams, focusing on booth management, voter outreach, and public connect programmes.
Party insiders revealed that the campaign has been structured in multiple phases — including intensive door-to-door canvassing, cluster meetings in rural belts, and targeted outreach highlighting the BJP government's welfare initiatives. Senior functionaries from across the Jammu division, including office-bearers from the Mahila Morcha, Yuva Morcha, and OBC Morcha, have been deployed to reinforce the grassroots campaign.
Sources said the BJP leadership is framing the Nagrota byelection not merely as a political contest but as a tribute to Devender Singh Rana's enduring connect with the people. His development-centric politics and strong constituency work are being projected as the foundation upon which Divyani Rana seeks to build.
During recent meetings, Sat Pal Sharma emphasized that voters in Nagrota have consistently supported the BJP's vision of "development, stability, and empowerment," expressing confidence that the byelection will reaffirm their trust once again.
"The BJP will continue to fulfill the promises made to the people of Nagrota and complete the unfinished tasks initiated by Devender Singh Rana," Sharma said while addressing a gathering of party workers.
Ashok Koul echoed similar sentiments, asserting that the BJP's robust organizational network at the booth level and the government's development track record will ensure another convincing win. He urged party workers to reach every household and communicate how BJP-led governance has delivered tangible improvements in infrastructure, education, healthcare, and employment.
The BJP's campaign narrative revolves around "continuity, development, and commitment to people's welfare," while projecting Divyani Rana as a symbol of youth leadership and stability.
Opposition Attempts to Counter BJP
On the other hand, opposition parties — particularly the National Conference (NC) and the Panthers Party — are attempting to challenge the BJP's dominance by raising issues of unemployment and alleged neglect of rural areas. However, political analysts believe the BJP's strong organizational base, emotional connect with Devender Singh Rana's legacy, and its well-coordinated campaign may give the party a decisive edge.
With the polling date drawing closer, Nagrota has transformed into a political battleground — a test of the BJP's electoral machinery and a reflection of the evolving dynamics of Jammu's political landscape.
