Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 22: Continuing their campaign for the forthcoming elections of MLCs, the BJP candidates from Jammu Province Col.(Retd.) Uttam Singh Manhas and Rashpal Verma visited over a dozen Panchayat halqas to have direct interaction with the Panchs and Sarpanchs to seek their support and vote.
Col. Uttam Singh visited Pancheri, Ramnagar and Udhampur along with BJP leaders Pawan Gupta, Karan Singh, SC leader Chaman Lal Kanathia, Dina Nath Bhagat and Sarpanchs Jeevan Sharma and Raju Chandel.
Similarly, Rashpal Verma visited Lohi Malahar, Billawar and Majalta along with party leaders Nand Kishore, Inderjeet Sharma, Prakash Sharma, Ganesh Basotra, Pawan Kumar, Kasturi Lal Basotra and Nirmal Basotra.
Both Col. Uttam Singh and Rashpal Verma, while speaking to the Panchs and Sarpanchs, said that the Congress is bluffing and misleading the Panchs and Sarpanchs, as it had 73rd Amendment in its election manifesto but after coming to power, it gave up the demand in deference to NC to get hold of power in coalition. Similarly, NC is under pressure from separatist groups not to empower Panchayats. In such situation, BJP is the only party, which has been constantly fighting for the cause of Panchayats and elected Panchs and Sarpanchs.
He said that the BJP’s appeal to seek votes is also justified as it is the only political party which has been raising the issue of allowing the democracy to flourish in the real sense and strengthen the 3-tier system administrative system.
The BJP candidates, while appealing the Panchs and Sarpanchs to cast their vote in their favour, said that if elected as MLCs, they will whole heartedly struggle for the implementation of the 73rd Amendment of the Indian Constitution in total to ensure genuine empowerment of the Panchayats, provision of monthly honorarium for Panchs and Sarpanchs and adequate security to them.