JAMMU: The family of late BJP leader and former Nagrota legislator Devender Singh Rana met Union Home Minister Amit Shah at Raj Bhawan in Jammu on Monday, fuelling speculation that Rana’s daughter Devyani may be fielded by the party in the upcoming assembly by-election necessitated by his demise.
The meeting, described as emotional by officials present, took place in the presence of Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. Devender Rana’s wife, Gunjan Rana, and daughters Devyani and Ketki, met Shah during his three-day tour of the Union Territory. The late leader’s son, Adhiraj Singh, was not present.
Devender Singh Rana, 59, passed away in October last year at a private hospital in Faridabad following a prolonged illness, weeks after winning the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election from the Nagrota seat. A prominent political figure in the region, Rana had previously won the constituency on a National Conference ticket in 2014 before switching to the BJP in 2021.
Political circles are abuzz with talk of the BJP nominating Devyani Rana as its candidate from Nagrota. The 27-year-old was recently appointed as the Vice-President of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) in Jammu and Kashmir and has since taken a visible role in public and party affairs. The party is reportedly considering a legacy-based candidacy to retain the crucial constituency in the Jammu region.
In a social media post following the meeting, Devyani expressed her gratitude, writing: “Humbled and privileged to be in the August presence of Most Hon’ble and Respected Union Home Minister and Cooperation Minister Hon’ble Shri Amit Shah Ji and Most Hon’ble and Respected Lieutenant Governor J&K Shri Manoj Sinha Ji.”
