Gear up for assembly polls; focus on organisational expansion: BJP leadership directs J&K unit

Jammu, July 05: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership has directed the top brass of its J&K unit to be in ready mode for assembly polls, focus on organisational expansion and iron out all issues, impeding its growth.

“Entire exercise should be result-oriented and three-pronged - Reach out to masses with organisation’s good work delivered on ground in the past ten years or so; find out grey areas and work on party’s vulnerabilities revealed during parliamentary elections to ensure blooming of lotus in politically uncharted areas as well in J&K.”

This formed the crux of commands of BJP leadership comprising Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president J P Nadda and national general secretary (organisation) B L Santosh in the crucial meeting held late Thursday evening in the union capital.

According to party sources, in response, J&K top brass including UT president Ravinder Raina, general secretaries Sunil Sharma, Dr D K Manyal, Vibodh Gupta and general secretary (organisation) Ashok Koul, Members of Parliament Dr Jitendra Singh, Jugal Kishore Sharma (both Lok Sabha MPs), Dr Gulam Ali Khatana (Rajya Sabha MP) assured the national leadership that they would leave no stone unturned in accomplishing its (party’s) objective to ensure BJP’s own government in J&K, following assembly polls.

“In-charge J&K Affairs Tarun Chugh, co-incharge Ashish Sood also took part in the deliberations which mainly revolved around organisational issues, performance in parliamentary polls and vision ahead,” sources stated.

“National leadership lauded the party’s performance in the parliamentary polls wherein the BJP managed to retain its both seats from Jammu region for the third consecutive time,” sources added.

But the party had suffered decline in vote percentages as compared to 2019 polls, even in its strongholds in the Jammu region. Did it find mention in the directives of the Union Home Minister and national president?

In response to this query, sources maintained, “Clear direction was to identify vulnerabilities, work on weak points and shore-up strengths to achieve the mission, party has set up for it for ensuing assembly polls. One should not be in doubt about the conduct of assembly polls as per the deadline after the commitment made by the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister.”

Any decision or deliberations about change of guard vis-a-vis J&K unit, organisational elections, when asked, party sources stated, “Organisational issues encompass all issues but they are not to be shared in public forum. We have our two-day executive committee meetings beginning from tomorrow (July 5). Deliberations will continue there as well in light of these directions (by Shah, Nadda and Santosh). Party president will address the executive committee meeting on July 6.”

Earlier, party sources stated that the J&K BJP president and its four general secretaries were summoned on Wednesday for this meeting on July 4 in the union capital. Agenda was not specified.

J&K BJP executive committee meeting will be held on July 5 and 6 in Jammu to hold deliberations and chalk out its action plan for assembly polls.

BJP president J P Nadda will participate in the meeting of executive and office bearers on July 6.

Gearing up for assembly polls, the party has set its eyes on “Mission 50 plus” to achieve its objective of forming government on its own, as recently spelt out by J&K BJP president Ravinder Raina.

In-charge J&K Affairs Tarun Chugh, co-incharge Ashish Sood besides two party MPs viz., Dr Jitendra Singh and Jugal Kishore Sharma will also take part in the deliberations to be held at Mishriwala hall in Jammu outskirts.