Jammu:

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will not form any pre-poll alliance in Jammu and Kashmir, state party president Ravinder Raina said here.

He, however, said discussions are ongoing with 8 to 10 independents in the Kashmir valley for contesting the elections together.

He said the party is fully geared up for Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir and will announce the first list of candidates soon.

“The BJP will have no pre-poll alliance with any political party in Jammu and Kashmir,” Mr Raina told reporters here.

“We are in talks with 8 to 10 independent candidates in the Kashmir Valley. If these discussions materialise, we will formulate a strategy to contest the elections jointly,” he said.

The BJP will field its candidates in the Kashmir valley and win the elections with a majority, he said.

“We will contest the majority of seats in Jammu and Kashmir. However, we are working on a strategy for joint contest with some independent candidates in Kashmir (Valley),” he said. “The BJP will have a big victory in J&K and will form its government in the union territory.”

On former minister Choudhary Zulfikar Ali joining the BJP, Mr Raina said he is a prominent leader with a strong support base in the Rajouri-Poonch belt. “The BJP will receive a significant boost from his inclusion.”

Responding to former chief minister Omar Abdullah’s statement on Article 370, Mr Raina said Mr Abdullah’s party is losing ground in Jammu and Kashmir, which is why he is issuing such remarks.

Mr Abdullah stated on Saturday that as its first action after the Assembly polls in the Union Territory, the Jammu and Kashmir House would pass a resolution against the Centre’s decision to revoke Article 370. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)