Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 13: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national vice president Prabhari Jammu, Kashmir & Ladakh,Avinash Rai Khanna today asked the party cadre in the UT of J&K to ensure full participation of the people in the ensuing Panchayat elections for remaining seats which are expected to be held any time now.
This was stated by BJP State president, Ravinder Raina while talking to Excelsior here today. He said the party Core Group meeting was held at its Headquarters, Trikuta Nagar under the chairmanship of Avinash Rai Khanna which discussed the strategy for the upcoming Panchayat poll for remaining seats in the UT.
Raina said besides the issue of Panchayat elections the prevailing political and law and order situation in the UT, cross border terrorism, issue of border denizens, striking PHE employees etc came up for discussion in the meeting.
The meeting, while reiterating BJP and Nrendra Modi led Union Government’s commitment to strengthen basic democratic institutions in J&K and Ladakh who were neglected by previous governments said that 73rd and 74 th Constitutional amendments will be implemented soon to give teeth to the grass root level institutes of democracy in the two UTs.
Raina said that BJP took part in the Panchayat and Local Bodies elections in the erstwhile J&K State which were boycotted by National Conference (NC), Congress and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Though the Panchayat elections were held on non party basis but BJP ensured the peoples participation in them which the other parties failed to do by giving a boycott call. “ We will continue to ensure full participation of the people in coming elections especially in Kashmir Valley”, Raina added.
Raina said the border situation was also discussed and concern was expressed over the continuation of cross border terrorism by Pakistan. The meeting said that recent Nagrota terror attack was the result of desperation of Pakistan after Narendra Modi Government took very strong steps in combating terrorism and blocking the funding channels of terrorists in J&K after the abrogation of Article 370and 35 A and conversion of State into UT after October 31 last year.
The meeting also appreciated the role of Army, security forces, Police and VDCs in frustrating the designs of Pakistan and terrorists.
Raina said that BJP also decided to further strengthen its organizational structure in two UTs. It, while discussing the alleged involvement of a Congress leader and former Minister from the J&K who was quizzed by NIA for his links with terrorists said that party will expose the party for links of one of its leaders with terrorists.
Raina said that the meeting also expressed its solidarity with striking PHE daily wagers and has made an appeal to Lt Governor of the UT, G C Murmu to look into the matter.
The meeting besides Raina was attended by BJP, general secretary (Org) Ashok Kaul, former Minister, Sat Sharma, party general secretaries, Dr Narinder Singh, Sunil Sharma and Yudhvir Sethi.
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