Jammu, Oct 22: From entrepreneur to political newcomer, 30-year-old Devyani Rana has officially entered the electoral fray for Jammu and Kashmir’s Nagrota Assembly constituency, aiming to continue the legacy of her late father, senior BJP leader Devender Singh Rana.
The Nagrota bypoll, scheduled for November 11, was necessitated by the passing of Devender Singh Rana on October 31 last year. The BJP announced Devyani as its candidate on Wednesday, marking her political debut.
Filing her nomination as the youngest among 12 contestants, Devyani described herself as the constituency’s “sevadar”, pledging to fulfill the unfinished dreams of her father. “When Rana Sahib held my hand and took a vow from me to become the ‘sevadar’ of this constituency, he was confident I would take care of the people. I will continue his mission with the same spirit,” she said.
Despite being a newcomer to politics, Devyani enjoys strong public support across communities, benefiting from her father’s reputation as a bridge between Hindus and Muslims. “I am fortunate to have the blessings and support of the people of Nagrota. They stood by Rana Sahib, and I am confident they will bless me too on November 11 and make me victorious with a record margin,” she added.
An economics graduate from the University of California, Devyani manages her family’s media and automobile businesses. She said she intends to bring a fresh, professional approach to politics while upholding the BJP’s principles of service and integrity. “I believe in a 360-degree view of development — inclusive, participatory, and empowering. My focus will be on strengthening villages, panchayats, and the entire constituency to ensure growth that benefits every section of society,” she asserted.
In her election affidavit, Devyani declared movable assets of Rs 91.23 lakh, no immovable property, and annual incomes of Rs 29.54 lakh (2024–25) and Rs 33.26 lakh (2023–24).
Her late father, Devender Singh Rana, had represented Nagrota twice — in 2014 and 2024 — winning the last election with a record margin of 30,472 votes against his NC rival Joginder Singh. He was known for advocating a Dogra chief minister for Jammu and Kashmir. Devyani is also the niece of Union Minister Jitendra Singh and the granddaughter of former bureaucrat Rajinder Singh Rana.
As the polling date approaches, Devyani emphasized that her campaign is not merely electoral but a continuation of a “bond of trust” built over decades. “For me, this is not politics; it is a responsibility, a promise to my father and to the people of Nagrota,” she said.
Nagrota, represented by the BJP three times (2002, 2008, 2024) and by the National Conference twice (1996, 2014) since 1996, still faces developmental challenges, which Devyani says she is committed to addressing with inclusive and holistic growth initiatives.
Her campaign signals the BJP’s determination to retain the Nagrota seat, leveraging public goodwill and the Rana family’s legacy as the cornerstone of her electoral journey.
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