The BJP will be making the abrogation of Article 370, promise of jobs, and empowerment of women as the mainstay of its campaign in Jammu and Kashmir, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi expected to kick-start his rallies next week. Home Minister Amit Shah will unveil the manifesto on Friday (September 6) and then hold a rally in Jammu on Saturday.
“Rahul Gandhi was in J&K on Wednesday for his first rally and skipped any mention of Article 370. Congress has maintained silence on the issue. On the same stage was Farooq Abdullah of National Conference whose party has promised in its manifesto that Article 370 will be brought back. Both allies have divergent stands,” a senior BJP leader told News18, saying top party leaders will attack the alliance on this issue.
The BJP’s manifesto may project the big changes brought in J&K due to abrogation of Article 370 five years ago, including reservation benefits and high tourism numbers. “Rahul Gandhi has promised that statehood will be restored to J&K after elections…but Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah have already promised the same earlier, saying statehood will be restored once the law and order situation improves and elections are held,” the leader said.
The BJP’s manifesto could also have promises for Kashmiri Pandits, job opportunities for youth and empowerment of women. New avenues for tourism could also form a part of the manifesto. The concept of ‘Naya Kashmir’ has often featured in speeches of BJP leaders and the party would promise prosperity, peace and stability in J&K “unlike the agenda of NC and PDP which is to take J&K back to dark days of violence and terrorism and turn the clock back,” the BJP leader said.
BJP’s J&K in-charge Ram Madhav on Wednesday said it will be a “BJP-led government” in J&K and claimed that BJP will emerge as the single-largest party.
