Political situation also figures in 2-hour long meeting
BJP to aim three plus seats in two UTs
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Aug 3: Prime Minister Narendra Modi tonight met National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Members of Parliament (MPs) from North Zone including Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh and reportedly discussed with them the preparations for Lok Sabha elections, political and security scenario prevailing in their States/Union Territories and other issues.
Earlier, the Prime Minister had met NDA MPs (both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha) from Uttar Pradesh, Bundelkhand, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Karnataka, Puducherry, Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep separately over last two-three days.
Tonight, he met the MPs from North Zone comprising States/Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, New Delhi and Uttarakhand.
Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Dr Jitendra Singh, who represents Udhampur-Doda-Kathua Lok Sabha seat and Jugal Kishore Sharma, who holds Jammu-Poonch-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat, were present in the meeting.
Lone Lok Sabha member from Ladakh Jamyang Tsering Namgayal also attended the meeting.
As per the sources, the Prime Minister is understood to have discussed with Jammu and Kashmir MPs the prevailing political and security scenario in the Union Territory which in the next couple of days will be completing four years of abrogation of special status and its bifurcation into two UTs of J&K and Ladakh.
“Preparations of the BJP for Lok Sabha elections in J&K also came up for discussion,” the sources said, adding the Prime Minister stressed for increasing tally of the BJP in the UT.
Political scenario and preparations of the BJP for various elections too figured briefly.
Modi also reportedly took feedback from the MPs on development works in their constituencies, both completed and ongoing, and their status. He also gave certain suggestions for carrying out further development works in their segments.
“The Prime Minister had detailed interaction with the Members of Parliament and also hosted dinner for them,” the party sources said.
Four Rajya Sabha seats from Jammu and Kashmir are vacant since February 2021 when all sitting MPs had completed their term. Rajya Sabha seats from J&K couldn’t be filled in the absence of Legislature as the Legislative Assembly was kept in suspended animation in June 2018 and dissolved in November the same year following withdrawal of support to Mehbooba Mufti-led Government by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Lok Sabha elections are scheduled to be held in April-May 2024. The BJP had secured absolute majority on its own in 2014 and 2019 Parliamentary polls and in 2024 it is hoping to achieve third straight victory.
Earlier this month, BJP national president Jagat Prakash Nadda had held meetings with State/UT presidents and general secretaries (Organizations) of different zones including North Zone separately to take assessment of political activities and party’s preparations for Parliament polls besides the States where Assembly elections are due.
Though Assembly polls are also due in Jammu and Kashmir, the chances that they will be held this year are remote. However, the Panchayat and Urban Local Bodies elections are expected to be held between October and December this year.
There are five Lok Sabha seats in Jammu and Kashmir and the BJP has won two of them for two consecutive terms and is eyeing victory there for third time. It was also aiming third seat South Kashmir-Poonch after declaration of Paharis as Scheduled Tribes.
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