BJP Faces Backlash Over J&K Candidate List

The BJP faced significant backlash from party loyalists after releasing and subsequently withdrawing its initial list of 44 candidates for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, which caused protests at the BJP office in Jammu. BJP's J&K president Ravinder Raina pledged to address the concerns personally. The revised candidate list focuses solely on the first phase of the elections, scheduled for September 18, with further phases on September 25 and October 1. Concurrently, the BJP requested the Election Commission to reschedule Haryana Assembly elections from October 1 due to consecutive holidays, a move criticized by the Congress as an admission of defeat. The BJP is also adjusting its candidate announcement strategy, focusing on its stronger seats first.