"We have expectations from first-time voters": Union minister Jitendra Singh

UDHAMPUR: As India heads to Lok Sabha elections, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh expressed hope from the first-time voters of Jammu & Kashmir. Speaking to ANI, the union minister said "We have expectations from all first-time voters.

The picture has drastically changed since 2014. This city was so deprived of roads that folk songs were made in Dogri."

"In the last 10 years, roads were constructed in Udhampur under PMGSY. Three medical colleges have opened. A radio station and even a passport office have now opened up here," he added.

On March 1, the saffron party announced Dr Jitender Singh will contest Lok Sabha polls from Udhampur and Jugal Kishor Sharma from Jammu.

The Bharatiya Janata Party on March 13 released the second list of Lok Sabha polls, consisting of 72 candidates, including three former Chief Ministers Manohar Lal Khattar, Trivendra Singh Rawat, Basvaraj Bommai as well as four Union Ministers Nitin Gadkari, Anurag Thakur, and Piyush Goyal, Pralhad Joshi.

The BJP has fielded former Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar for the Karnal Lok Sabha seat. In the second list, the BJP has announced the names of candidates for seven Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat.

In Gujarat, the party has fielded Hashmukhbhai Somabhai Patel from Ahmedabad East, Dhawal Patel from Valsad, Mukeshbhai Chandrakant Dalal from Surat, Ranjanben Dhananjay Bhatt from Vadodara, Nimuben Bambhania from Bhavnagar, Bhikhaji Dudhaji Thakor from Sabarkantha and Jashubhai Bhilubhai Rathwa from Chhota Udaipur.

Six names have been announced from Haryana. Banto Kataria from Ambala, Ashok Tanwar from Sirsa, Chaudhary Dharambir Singh from Bhiwani-Mahendargah, Rao Inderjit Singh Yadav from Gurgaon, and Krishanpal Gurjar from Faridabad. The BJP-led National Democratic (NDA) won a total of 303 seats, leaving the grand-old party behind at 52 seats. The Lok Sabha polls are slated to be held in April-May this year.