BJP to fight to bring change, defeat nepotism: Reddy

Jammu, Aug 18: Union Minister for Coal and Mines G Kishan Reddy Sunday said that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was in perfect election-mode and would contest to ensure that the parties promoting dynastic politics could not come to power in J&K.

“People have seen those (dynastic) parties and their (dynastic) rule and they have not forgotten it. After that they witnessed change and saw democracy trickling to the grassroots. We are committed to uphold people’s trust and meet their aspirations for bringing about change for development. We are gearing up (for assembly elections) to ensure that the dynastic parties, promoting corruption, nepotism don’t come to power,” Reddy said, while speaking to media persons at the party office here.

Responding to a query about former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s statement that NC, if elected to power, would bring the first bill on Article 370, the union minister said that this issue would be decided by the people of J&K. “People of J&K will decide as to whether a bill on Article 370 should be brought or not. Ball will be in their (people’s) court,” he replied.

How would the entry of former minister and a prominent Gujjar leader Chowdhary Zulfikar, who joined BJP after leaving J&K Apni Party, strengthen the party (BJP)? In reply to this query, Reddy said that the party needed each and every worker and leader to bolster its strength. “For BJP, its workers and leaders, both are equally significant. Together we will work for the development of J&K and its future generations. We will try to bring more people into the BJP fold to achieve this mission to bring about positive change in J&K,” he said.

Earlier, Zulfikar stated that he joined BJP to establish direct rapport between Jammu Muslims and New Delhi. “Kashmir based parties NC and PDP induced fear among (Jammu) Muslims. I’ve joined so that there’s a direct link between Jammu Muslims and New Delhi,” he stated. When asked about the party manifesto and the first list of candidates, Reddy said that the meetings were being convened and deliberations were on. “Once the process gets completed, it will, of course, be shared with you (media),” he said.

After Zulfikar’s joining event, Reddy along with BJP national general secretary and in-charge J&K affairs Tarun Chugh and other senior leaders participated in the meetings convened by its Election Committee. Meetings of committees of BJP’s 17 organisational districts continued till late night to share feedback vis-a-vis election preparedness, inputs about probable candidates, majority of whom are likely to be new faces, and finalise strategy.

The members of BJP Manifesto Committee are also holding meetings in different districts of J&K and deliberations with different strata of society to elicit their opinions, points to be included in the final manifesto of the party.

Party leaders indicated that the first list of candidates for phase I elections, scheduled to be held on September 18, was likely to be out on August 20 or 21.

Regarding election committee meetings, former MLA Abdul Gani Kohli stated that intense deliberations would be held before the release of the list of candidates.

J&K BJP president Ravinder Raina asserted that the BJP would not form any alliance with any party and would fight on its own strength. “There could be a possibility of alliance with independent candidates in Kashmir. Yet the final decision is yet to be taken,” he said.

Union Minister of State in PMO Dr Jitendra Singh too asserted that the deliberations and meetings formed part of the party's democratic system to take decisions. “BJP remains prepared for elections always. Election preparedness is an intense process and party rank and file is engaged in it,” he said.