– By TeamNewsHour
Jammu, September 22, 2024 – In a significant political development, Ankur Sharma, the founder of the Ekam Sanatan Bharat Dal (ESBD), has officially joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This move comes as Sharma campaigns for the Jammu-Poonch Parliamentary seat, promising to bring political empowerment to the Jammu region.
Sharma, who has been vocal about the political and cultural issues facing Jammu, made the announcement during a series of public meetings as part of his ongoing election campaign. His decision to join BJP is seen as an attempt to consolidate the nationalist vote in the region, which he claims has been marginalized by policies favoring the Kashmir valley.
Before joining BJP, Sharma led the ESBD with a strong agenda to address what he describes as the “second-order status” of Jammu in comparison to Kashmir. His campaign has focused on several key issues: shifting the power center to Jammu, advocating for the rights of West Pakistani Refugees, granting minority status to non-Muslims in J&K, and the reorganization of the state to better represent the interests of Jammu.
Sharma’s entry into BJP is expected to bolster the party’s stance on issues like the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A, which he believes have been reintroduced “through the backdoor” despite their formal revocation. His past remarks and political activities suggest a continuity of his agenda within the BJP framework, focusing on national integration and challenging what he perceives as separatist policies.
Political analysts see this move as BJP’s strategy to strengthen its base in Jammu, where Sharma has considerable support due to his outspoken criticism of the previous state policies and his advocacy for Hindu rights. His campaign has also touched on sensitive topics, like the rights over Custodian and Waqf lands, aiming to resonate with voters frustrated with the existing land policies.
The BJP, with Sharma now in its fold, might aim to leverage his image as a crusader for Jammu’s rights to secure a win in the parliamentary elections, reflecting a broader strategy to realign regional politics more closely with national interests as defined by BJP. Sharma’s political journey from leading a regional outfit to joining a national party like BJP highlights the dynamic shifts in J&K’s politics post the constitutional changes of August 5, 2019.
His integration into BJP could mark a new chapter in the region’s political narrative, focusing on integration, development, and a stronger voice for Jammu within the national political arena.
