Many first timers in the BJP on Tuesday romped home victoriously and recorded their name in the history books by defeating heavyweights of different political parties in Jammu.
Sunil Sharma of the BJP became the giant killer after he defeated sitting MoS (Home) Sajjad Ahamd Kitchloo from Kishtwar. Kitchloo’s father Bashir Ahmad Kitchloo won the seat in 1987, 1996. Sajjad, a close relative of Azad, took over the family bastion and won the seat twice in 2002 and 2008 but could not beat the strong pro-Modi wave to complete the hat trick in 2014. Kitchloos name had surfaced in Kishtwar riots but later he was given clean chit by the one man inquiry commission headed by Justice (Retd) RC Gandhi in its preliminary report. The final report is yet to be submitted to the State Government.
Two other BJP candidates from Doda and Bhaderwah Daleep Singh and Shakti Raj defeated rival Congress stalwarts in a close contest. Mohd Sharief Niaz from Bhaderwah, close relative of Ghulam Nabi Azad lost the seat while R&B Minister Abdul Majeed Wani also failed to score hat-trick from Doda. Abdul Ghani Kohli from Kalakote defeated sitting NC MlA Rachpal Singh in Rajouri district. Dr Gagan Bhagat from RS Pura,Rajesh Gupta from Jammu (East), Neelam langeh from Ramban, Rajeev Jasrotia from Kathua, Ravinder Raina from Nowshera, Dr Krishan lal from Chhamb, Rajeev Sharma from Akhnoor, Dina Nath from Chenani,Jeewan lal from Bani won the seat for the first time in their political careers.