Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Apr 22: Former Union Minister and senior AICC leader, Incharge J&K affairs of the party, Bharatsinh Solanki today said that talks with the INDI Alliance partners are going on for Ladakh.
Interacting with the Excelsior here this evening, Solanki, who is here for the poll campaign for Congress candidate, Raman Bhalla, claimed that INDI Alliance will win all the six Lok Sabha seats in the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. There is tremendous response from the public, specially in hilly areas. He said winning prospects of Ch Lal Singh from Udhampur-Doda seat are very bright and the Jammu seat will also be secured by Alliance candidate, Raman Bhalla.
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“The under-current will decide the real fate of BJP candidates for Udhampur and Jammu. Fearing its defeat, BJP avoided to field its candidate on Rajouri-Anantnag seat. Moreover, they do not have their mass base in Kashmir and Rajouri-Poonch,” the AICC leader said.
When asked whether Congress was fielding its candidate from Ladakh seat, Solanki said talks with the alliance partners were going on for this seat. There are two-three names, including that of Rigzin Jora and a few from Kargil under consideration. There is still some time to take a final call in this respect. Alliance partner NC has good influence in Kargil district. In Leh, there is strong resentment and agitation is going on against BJP. All factors are being taken into account before deciding an appropriate candidate, Solanki added.
Referring to the withdrawal of his name from Anantnag- Rajouri seat by Azad, Solanki said earlier Azad claimed that he was contesting from Anantnag-Rajouri seat but then he withdrew from the contest, fearing his defeat. “His balloon of air deflated. He should have contested from his home constituency Udhampur-Doda if he was so confident. In fact, his party has no mass base as is being claimed. His party is not contesting for a win. It is still in the air,” the AICC leader added.
On being asked whether BJP failed to consolidate its vote bank in Rajouri-Poonch even after granting ST status to Paharis and political reservation to Gujjars, the AICC leader said, “If they were so confident, they should have fielded their candidate from there. Infact, they have not delivered. Their leaders are unable to face public. They had fear of facing defeat and avoided to field their candidate from Anantnag-Rajouri, Solanki asserted.
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