BJP leader meets CM, takes up issues
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Mar 16: BJP general secretary and party’s pointman on Jammu and Kashmir, Ram Madhav today ruled out any rift in the PDP-BJP coalition Government and declared that the Alliance will continue to function even as he advised the party Ministers to assert during the Cabinet meetings and block “controversial decisions” then and there instead of raking them up in public, leading to embarrassment for both the coalition partners.
Madhav had 45-minute meeting with Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti before taking meetings of BJP Legislature Party comprising Ministers, MLAs, MLCs and senior office bearers followed by exclusive meeting with 11 party Ministers at the BJP headquarters at Trikuta Nagar. After the meeting, Mehbooba left for Srinagar, the summer capital of the State.
“Both the Alliance partners have their own issues, which were being discussed and debated within the respective parties. However, there was unanimity at the meeting between Ram Madhav and Mehbooba Mufti that there was no threat to the PDP-BJP coalition Government, which will continue to work smoothly and that some issues raised by the BJP, which were generally local in nature, will be resolved,” sources said.
Madhav flew-in to Srinagar from New Delhi this morning, where he was briefed on security situation in Kashmir by two senior officers of Jammu and Kashmir Police and Army. He reached Jammu in the afternoon.
Madhav had about 45 minutes long meeting with Mehbooba at her official residence here from 3.45 pm to 4.30 pm after which the Chief Minister left for Srinagar on scheduled visit. Though there was no official word on the meeting, the BJP sources said Madhav took up certain issues with Mehbooba, which have brought embarrassment to the party in Jammu region, which was constituency of the party and had given 25 out of 37 Assembly seats to the BJP.
Working of the coalition Government, giving pace to developmental works in all three regions including the Centrally Sponsored Schemes also figured during the meeting between the two leaders.
Sources said Madhav also discussed the issues of Tribal Policy, Hiranagar rape-cum-murder case, posting of Additional Deputy Commissioners in some areas and certain other issues, which have caused embarrassment to the BJP, with Ms Mufti.
Speaking to reporters at the BJP headquarters, Madhav said he held review meeting of the part to assess the work done during three years of the PDP-BJP coalition Government.
To a question on exit of Dr Haseeb Drabu, he described it as an internal matter of PDP and denied any rift between the coalition partners.
On delay in laying foundation of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Madhav said the project has been delayed due to land issue but would takeoff soon.
Regarding losses in by-elections in Uttar Pradesh, he said the party will learn from the mistakes.
On withdrawal of support to NDA by Telugu Desam Party, the BJP leader said: “one party has withdrawn support to the NDA. It is unfortunate. It’s because of some misunderstanding as we have done so much for development of Andhra Pradesh and will continue to do so”.
Later, Madhav was reported to have asked BJP Ministers at the Legislature Party meeting as well as a separate meeting with them that they should assert in the Cabinet and take up issues then and there to get them addressed instead of debating them in the public.
Describing as damaging the ‘Tribal Policy’, whose minutes were leaked to the media by an Advocate, sources said Madhav reportedly asked the party Ministers to resolve all such issues before they become public issues and cause embarrassment to the party not only in the Jammu region but at national level as well.
He reportedly was of the view that the BJP Ministers shouldn’t only assert but forcefully take up the issues pertaining to Jammu and Ladakh regions to ensure balanced and equitable development of all three regions of the State.
On the issue of Additional Deputy Commissioners in Nowshera, Sunderbani, Kalakote etc, the BJP general secretary was briefed that some Additional DCs had been posted earlier also. “Now, the demand for creation of posts of ADCs have started pouring in from more areas, which the BJP was finding it difficult to handle though the Government has set-up a high-level Committee to look into the demands in all the areas,” sources said.
On BJP’s endorsement of demand for Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) probe into Hiranagar rape-cum-murder case, sources said the BJP has now adjusted itself to the PDP’s assertion that “impartial probe” will be held into the killing.
Sources said some of the MLAs and MLCs also raked up the issues of lack of development in their areas and wanted that the BJP Ministers should regularly visit the constituencies for feedback to address the problems of the people.
The BJP leader was reported to have asked the party Ministers and legislators to be more accessible to the people in all three regions.
The Ministers also gave their presentation to the party general secretary including the major works being taken up by their Ministries in Jammu and Kashmir.
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