Gopal Sharma
JAMMU/RAJOURI/KATHUA, Dec 17: Hitting BJP for getting exposed on the issues of Article 370 and resettlement of PoJK refugees, former Union Health Minister and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Ghulam Nabi Azad today said that even after putting all efforts by roping in its entire Union Cabinet, BJP will not be able to touch double digit mark in the Assembly elections in the State.
Addressing large election rallies at Manjakote in Rajouri; Billawar, Basohli & Hiranagar in Kathua; Suchetgarh and Jammu West Assembly segments in Jammu district in favour of party candidates Shabir Khan, Manohar Lal Sharma, Jagdish Raj Sapolia, Girdhari Lal Chalotra, R S Chib and Surinder Singh Shinghari today, Mr Azad came down heavily on the Central BJP leadership and alleged that it has resorted to all ways and means to hoodwink the people of the State. Such tactics are not going to yield any fruitful results.
“Dozens of Bollywood actors and actresses have been dropped to spread mis-information campaign against Congress. Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not spare even a single minister at New Delhi, who are roaming in each and every Assembly segment, door-to-door for vote. They have nothing in their kitty to tell about their achievements but have just one agenda to spread hatred against Congress and divide people on caste and religious lines,” Mr Azad.
Alleging that BJP is making castles on its claim of achieving Mission 44+, former J&K Chief Minister recalled that in last four phases of polls, people of Kashmir rejected BJP’s ideology by turning up at polling booths in large number. People of Ladakh, Chenab Valley & Poonch districts too, detected the BJP’s hidden agenda being carried on religious lines and openly voted against BJP candidates. Now, when polling in majority of Assembly segments has been completed and BJP leadership realized its defeat, it is trying to pump in all types of resources just to hoodwink the people to fetch few seats in fifth and final phase.”
Mr Azad further asserted that “the way people have reposed faith in Congress party, it has become crystal clear that either Congress will form the next Government at its own or it will lead the coalition.”
Countering BJP’s allegations against Congress for not doing any development in the State, Congress stalwart, passed a piece of advice to the advisors of Modi to provide correct information to him. Mr Azad said, “During my tenure as CM, equitable and time bound developmental works were initiated and completed. Who ensured timely completion and functioning of two important Super Specialty Hospitals ? Who laid hundreds of kilometers long highways and NH? Who started four lane work on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway? Who executed railway line from Jammu to Srinagar via Udhampur, Katra? Who gave Five Medical Colleges and two Cancer Care Institutes to J&K?”
Launching attack on BJP, he alleged that MLAs from the party sold their mandate to the Valley based party and ditched the people of Jammu who had high hopes from them. They could not raise the voice of Jammu people in the Assembly for the five-six years. The people of Jammu were left to suffer. These people will now teach them a lesson. Moreover, this party has taken U-turn on its all the major agendas and core issues. They have been exposed on Article 370 and the issue of refugees’ package. Even its top leadership has maintained silence on the Article 370. The border people have been suffering due to ceasefire violations and unprovoked firing from the Pakistani side. The BJP has failed to minimize their miseries. He said that during his regime as CM, he had started initiative of allotting 5 marla plots to the border people but his Government could not survive for long due to misdeeds of PDP.
Urging the people to vote for Congress for the further development of all the regions, Azad said all the ongoing development projects would be executed in time bound manner. He said it was due to the efforts of UPA Govt that financial assistance worth crores was extended to State. “What BJP led Government at the Center has done in past six months? It has done nothing but is busy in cutting ribbons at the inaugural ceremonies of the projects executed and completed by Congress led UPA Govt,”Azad said.
AICC general secretary Ambika Soni and PCC president Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz also addressed the rallies.
Follow our WhatsApp channel