BJP MLAs to use discretion to attend swearing-in ceremony today

Jammu, Oct 15: Newly elected Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators will use their own discretion to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the National Conference-Congress alliance government, to be helmed by Omar Abdullah, at SKICC, Srinagar tomorrow.

This was stated by J&K BJP Working President and former minister Sat Sharma, in response to Greater Kashmir query as to who would represent BJP in the oath-taking ceremony of the newly elected government in J&K, after a hiatus of ten years.

BJP with 29 seats, all from the Jammu region, has emerged as the main opposition party in the Legislative Assembly.

“All newly elected Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs) have received invitations for the oath-taking ceremony of the new government at SKICC, Srinagar tomorrow. Whosoever wishes to attend it, may go. It will be their own choice, their own discretion. They have been conveyed it by the party,” Sharma stated.

Whether any other senior J&K BJP leader (other than MLAs) or any senior national leader has been invited and if yes, whether they will attend this ceremony or not, in response to this question,

J&K BJP Working President said, “I don’t have any idea. Our (J&K) BJP President is not here.”

J&K BJP general secretary (organisation) Ashok Koul, when contacted by Greater Kashmir, too came out with a similar reply. “Our MLAs have received invitations. Few among them may attend swearing-in-ceremony,” he said.

“I’m out in Delhi. On the rest of the issues, I don’t have any knowledge,” Koul said, in response to queries about the participation of any other senior BJP leader, national or from the J&K unit (including him).

Notably, the entire BJP setup, including in-charge J&K BJP affairs and other senior leaders is busy with the swearing-in ceremony of the newly elected Haryana government, which will take place on October 17 at Panchkula.

The entire top brass of the BJP, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and BJP President and Union Health Minister J P Nadda besides others will participate in the ceremony. Hence, it is presumed, that the swearing-in-ceremony of the new J&K Government in Srinagar tomorrow will not have any prominent BJP attendees.

No confirmation came from NC leadership also vis-a-vis any important dignitary from the BJP attending this significant ceremony.

Senior National Conference leader Ali Muhammad Sagar, when contacted by Greater Kashmir, also stated that he did not have any knowledge about it (BJP leaders’ participation).

“The invitations have been sent by the Office of the Lieutenant Governor. I believe all MLAs have been invited,” he said.

Whether NC extended an invitation to BJP leadership on its own, like it invited INDIA bloc leaders for a swearing-in ceremony, responding to this question, Sagar’s precise answer was, “I really don’t have any idea.”

Meanwhile, on the eve of the oath-taking ceremony of Omar Abdullah's government, Jammu remained abuzz with speculations vis-à-vis likely ministers representing Jammu in the new cabinet.

Surinder Chowdhary, who brought NC a spectacular win over J&K BJP’s President Ravinder Raina, was tipped to be the front-runner.

The names of Javed Rana, NC MLA from Mendhar, Aijaz Jan, party MLA from Poonch; Satish Sharma from Chhamb and Piarey Lal Sharma from Inderwal, among independent MLAs, who have extended support to the new government, remained in circulation as the “most likely faces from Jammu” besides few other names.