Reddy, Chug, Jitendra, Sood hold hectic interaction with leaders
Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Aug 18: As a run up to Assembly elections slated to be held next month, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Election Committee held a marathon day long meeting here today to ascertain the views of party men on poll preparedness, party’s ground situation and names of probable candidates from all the 43 constituencies of Jammu region.
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The meeting was chaired by Union Minister of Coal and Mining G Kishen Reddy who is the election in charge of party and Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, party national general secretary Tarun Chugh, BJP UT president Ravinder Raina, co incharge J&K Ashish Sood and Election Committee in charge, Dr Nirmal Singh among other members of UT Election Committee including party general secretary (org) Ashok Koul and national secretary Dr Narinder Singh were present.
According to party sources, district presidents, general secretaries, district Prabharis and Seh Prabharis of all 17 BJP districts from Jammu region attended the meeting and the visiting dignitaries ascertained their views on the party’s performance in their respective districts and its poll prospects in the ensuing Assembly poll besides the party’s preparedness.
Sources said that booth level performance of the party in last elections was ascertained by the senior party leaders from the district presidents and Prabharis with the victory margin the party had in last Lok Sabha election held in June this year. The shortcomings were also discussed in detail with the district representatives and their suggestions were also sought regarding how to overcome the same, sources added.
They said that the names of probable prospective candidates constituency wise were also discussed with the district representatives and the feedback given by them will be summed up in tomorrow’s meeting of the Election Management Committee with senior leadership from Delhi.
Sources said the views were also sought from leadership of respective districts about the position of party in their area, and feedback from public on performance of the party as well as prevailing public narrative in the region.
Earlier talking to reporters on the sidelines of the meeting, Union Minister, G K Reddy said that his party will ensure that the dynastic parties don’t come to power. He said the Modi Government transformed the UT of J&K completely and it UT is fast treading on the path of peace, prosperity and development. The stone pelting and strikes era is over and now the students take books and laptops in their bags instead of stones, he added.
On NC working president and former Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah’s statement that his party will bring resolution in Assembly on restoration of Article 370, Reddy said that it is for the people of J&K to decide whether the Article 370 should come or not. He said BJP is the party of dedicated activists and more people should join the party for complete transformation of J&K.
Talking to reporters, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said “BJP is ready for the elections 24×7. Now as the elections have been announced in the UT there is a system through which we organise meetings and discussions”, he added.
On Omar Abdullah’s statement of Article 370, he said BJP stand on this issue is clear. “From the start we were in favour of the abrogation of Article 370 and we did that as we got the majority.”
He said the Congress leaders should be thankful to BJP and Prime Minister, Narendra Modi as we did what they were not able to do.
Dr Jitendra Singh said that J&K will perform important role in India’s economic growth in coming years. He regretted that the natural resources for boosting the economy of J&K and country were not explored by previous governments and Modi Government has given thrust to that. He said India is fifth economy of the world and soon it will be fourth as country under Modi is marching to become third global economy.
BJP president Ravinder Raina categorically denied that his party will form any pre-poll alliance in Jammu and Kashmir.
He, however, said discussions are ongoing with eight to 10 independents in the Kashmir Valley for contesting the elections together.
He said the party is fully geared up for Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir and will announce the first list of candidates soon.
The BJP will field its candidates in the Kashmir Valley and win the elections with a majority, he said.
“We will contest majority of seats in Jammu and Kashmir. However, we are working on a strategy for joint contest with some independent candidates in Kashmir (Valley),” he said. “The BJP will have a big victory in J&K and will form its Government in the Union Territory.”
Responding to former Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah’s statement on Article 370, Raina said Abdullah’s party is losing ground in Jammu and Kashmir, which is why he is issuing such remarks.
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