New Delhi: The BJP is set to release it manifesto for the highly-anticipated Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday. Union Home Minister Amit Shah will release the manifesto this afternoon and also kick-start BJP’s poll campaign.
Shah will unveil the BJP manifesto at 4 pm and later chair a meeting with party leaders and meet delegations of party workers. He will launch the party’s poll campaign by addressing a rally in Jammu on Saturday. Multi-tier security arrangements have been made for his visit. Shah’s two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir comes amid bickering in the party over ticket distribution for the upcoming Assembly polls in the Union Territory. The party is facing internal rift with several leaders and workers expressing resentment and some of them leaving the saffron party after being denied tickets.
What BJP’s manifesto for J&K polls could focus on
The BJP’s manifesto for the upcoming polls in the Union territory is likely to stress on jobs for youth, women empowerment, boosting tourism in Kashmir and special packages for refugees. It may also have promises for Kashmiri Pandits, alongside a firm stance on tackling stone-pelting incidents and maintaining peace and stability in Jammu and Kashmir, according to sources.
In its manifesto, the party may also make announcement regarding the rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits, a key electoral issue.
Internal rumblings in J&K BJP
Meanwhile, the BJP is trying to deal with the growing resentment among its leaders over the ticket distribution for the polls. To persuade the disgruntled leaders, the party has launched a damage control exercise, deploying several top leaders, including Union ministers, to calm the situation over the past week.
Last week, some BJP workers from different Assembly constituencies staged a protest at the party headquarters accusing the party leadership of sidelining hardworking workers and giving the mandate to “parachute candidates”. Jammu and Kashmir BJP president Raina, however, said the party is like a family where it does not matter who gets the mandate as “we believe in nation first, party second and self last”.
Elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be held in three phases on – September 18, 25 and October 1. The counting of votes will be taken up on October 4. Assembly polls in the Union territory is being held after a gap of 10 years and also for the first time since the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution in August 2019.
