Battle-hardened by the loss of her father and uncle in a terrorist attack five years ago, Shagun Parihar is set to fight the battle of ballots with the confidence of people's support.
Shagun expressed gratitude to the Bharatiya Janata Party leadership for fielding her as a candidate from the Kishtwar assembly constituency, which is set to go to polls in the first phase of the elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
She emphasised security and employment as her primary issues for the upcoming elections.
Shagun is among the 15 candidates announced by the BJP for the assembly elections, with eight seats in south Kashmir set for polling in the first phase on September 18. The last date to file the nomination papers for this phase is Tuesday.
"I feel deeply grateful to the BJP leadership, from the state to the Centre, for entrusting me with this opportunity to serve the people of the region. I am particularly thankful to Prime Minister Modi. I am confident that the people of Kishtwar will embrace this daughter of Kishtwar wholeheartedly. They will not let down their own daughter," she said.
Shagun, who lost her father Ajit Parihar and her uncle senior BJP leader Anil Parihar, in a terrorist attack in Kishtwar, emphasized that these elections are not just about her or her family but about all families who have sacrificed for the nation.
"It is a tribute to all those who have laid down their lives fighting terrorism and safeguarding the country," she said.
BJP's Jammu and Kashmir secretary Anil Parihar and his brother Ajit Parihar were shot dead by the terrorists in Kishtwar in Jammu division on November 1, 2018.
Shagun highlighted peace and security as her top priorities for the upcoming elections.
"Security is my foremost concern. Ensuring safety, security and peace is essential for development and progress. Therefore, my focus will be on ensuring peace, security and progress in the region," she said.
With a Master of Technology degree in Electronics, young Shagun underscored employment as a major issue, stressing the need to provide jobs to the educated youth.
"Given the ongoing major projects in Kishtwar, which are creating job opportunities for many youths in the district, it is crucial to ensure employment for the unemployed youth here," she explained.
As the only woman in the BJP's list of candidates, Shagun expressed confidence that the people of Kishtwar would support her journey towards empowering the region.
"Every resident of Kishtwar will guide and support me in advancing the area's development. This is an emotional moment. The BJP is a large party that cares for all its members as family," she added.
She also highlighted women's empowerment as a core focus of her work, especially in the remote areas of the district.
Party's general secretary Sunil Sharma, who had contested and won the polls from Kishtwar Assembly in the 2014 elections, has been shifted and fielded from Paddar Nagseni constituency.
The BJP announced its first list of 15 candidates for the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, withholding nine seats in south Kashmir for the first phase of polling on September 18. The deadline for filing the nomination papers for this phase is Tuesday.
Initially, the party released a list of 44 candidates across Jammu and Kashmir, which was subsequently withdrawn. The revised list includes 15 candidates for the seats going to polls in the first phase of elections.
