Assembly polls, smooth yatra on agenda
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, June 9: Union Home Minister and BJP president Amit Shah will be holding high-level review of political situation in Jammu and Kashmir especially in the wake of Election Commission of India’s announcement that it would announce dates for Assembly elections in the State after completion of annual pilgrimage of Shri Amarnath Ji on August 15.
The review of Jammu and Kashmir’s political situation and other aspects will be held on sidelines of two-day meeting of all State BJP presidents and general secretaries called by Shah in New Delhi on June 13 and 14, his first after assuming charge of the Home Ministry in Modi 2.0 Government.
Party sources said political scenario in four poll bound States including Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra, Haryana and Jharkhand could come up for special review during the high-level meeting. The Election Commission of India had recently made an official announcement that Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be held in the State by the end of this year and the election schedule will be announced after Shri Amarnath Ji yatra, which will conclude on August 15.
From J&K, BJP State president Ravinder Raina and organizing secretary Ashok Koul have been invited to the meeting so far while more leaders especially the Members of Parliament from the State might be called to the meeting later.
The meeting assumed significance as Shah now holds twin posts of the Home Minister as well as BJP president though there were speculations that Shah might shun the post of the party president and replaced by JP Nadda. However, there has been no official word on it so far.
In addition to general review of political scenario in different States and Union Territories after Parliamentary elections, the BJP could take feedback from the party leadership on the elections.
However, according to sources, focus of the Home Ministry as well as the BJP, remained Jammu and Kashmir, which was evident from the fact that soon after taking charge of the Ministry, Shah had reviewed situation in the State for four consecutive days with top brass of the MHA, para-military forces and Intelligence agencies. National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval too had held separate security review of J&K and arrangements made for Shri Amarnath Ji pilgrimage.
There have been reports that the Government could take certain important decisions in Jammu and Kashmir for welfare of the people of all three regions of the State. There were also indications that Shah could undertake a visit to Jammu and Kashmir shortly to review arrangements for annual pilgrimage of Shri Amarnath Ji, which will start on July 1 this year and last 46 days to conclude on August 15 coinciding with Shravan Purnima and Raksha Bandhan.
The Central Government has already given 300 additional companies of para-military forces to the State for Amarnath yatra security and has assured to dispatch more companies as sought by the State Government. The Government proposed to start deployment of yatra security from June 15 on wards and complete it well before start of the yatra on July 1.
Sources said performance of the BJP in the Parliamentary elections and party prospectus for the Assembly elections could come up for high-level review at the meeting. The BJP had recorded superb performance by retaining all three Lok Sabha seats it had won in 2014 with increased victory margin. Rest three Lok Sabha seats in the State had gone to the National Conference.
As the BJP had taken lead in 29 Assembly seats across the State including 25 in Jammu region, three in Ladakh and one in Kashmir, sources said, the party planned to further consolidate its position till the time the Assembly elections are held to increase its tally in the last Assembly, which was 25.
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