Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, July 5: Ahead of Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, the senior leaders of National Conference today discussed the manifesto of the party for these elections.
The meeting was chaired by the senior party leader and former Finance Minister Abdul Rahim Rather.
The manifesto committee members steered the discussion towards creating a manifesto that would align with the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, ultimately propelling the party to success.
The party has also sought valuable suggestions from the general public, especially from the youth and women, for the party manifesto. “The suggestions are to be sent to the committee at manifesto@jknc.co.in. All suggestions will be carefully reviewed, discussed and incorporated into the final draft for approval by the party high command,” it said.
Among those who attended the meeting include MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, Justice (retd) Hasnain Masoodi, Ajay Kumar Sadhotra, Shammi Oberoi, Nasir Aslam Wani, Tanvir Sadiq, Rattan Lal Gupta, Sakina Itoo, Dr Sameer Koul, Sharifuddin Shariq, Prof Nisar Ali, Khalid Najeeb Suhrawardy, Muzaffar Ahmad Khan and Showkat Mir.
The senior NC leader and Member Parliament, Agha Syed Ruhulla Mehdi told reporters that the party leaders discussed the issues for the upcoming Assembly elections.
“The main focus was on the Constitutional status of Jammu and Kashmir and the guarantees that have been taken from us, and their restoration,” he said.
“In the election, we will not only talk about these issues but, if we win, we will work towards their restoration. We have also started interacting with people and within the party to identify the key issues that need to be addressed in our manifesto and implemented through the Government,” he said.
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“Apart from Article 370, we discussed land rights, job rights, unemployment, the hike in electricity tariffs, power projects, and reservations while ensuring they do not impact open merit,” he said.
The NC MP said that they also discussed tourism, education, and the development of towns and cities. “Currently, we are holding a general discussion to identify the issues that need to be addressed. After this, we will streamline the ideas and open channels of discussion with the people,” he said.
The former MP Hasnain Masoodi said that they also discussed the key areas like horticulture, agriculture, women empowerment, industries, and political issues that should be included in the manifesto and delivered to the people.
“Several senior leaders from Jammu and various communities, including members of the Pandit and Sikh communities, participated in the meeting. The discussion will continue until we form a manifesto that truly represents the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
“Over the past 10 years, problems have piled up due to a significant governance deficit, including skyrocketing electricity bills and unemployment. We will strive to provide relief to all target groups expecting it,” he added.
The former Minister Sakeena Itoo said that the discussions will be held with all stakeholders to create a roadmap addressing the issues people have faced over the last 10 years.
“Over the last 10 years, people have experienced difficult times and lost trust in politics. There are issues like skyrocketing electricity bills and ration problems. People have been saying that the NC is nowhere in the Valley, but we received the highest vote percentage in all the elections, including the recently held Parliamentary elections, as people see NC as their only representative,” she said.
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