Talks on within party over 3 LS seats in Kashmir: Hardeep Singh Puri

Srinagar, Apr 20 (PTI) Best of the people are discussing this and whatever is being evaded, will be taken care of soon, Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Saturday said on BJP not yet declaring candidates on the three Lok Sabha seats in Kashmir valley. Speaking at Viksit Bharat ambssadors’ meet here, Puri said the 2024 general elections would produce a victory in favour of development so that the country moves forward to another significant chapter in the realisation of a ‘Viksit Bharat’. Asked about the BJP’s expectations from the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the minister said, “The country is in election mode. The BJP’s expectation from the country is that the 2024 elections will produce a convincing victory for development, for ‘vikas’, so that we move to another significant chapter in the realisation of a Viksit Bharat.” Asked why the BJP did not field any candidates on the three seats in the Kashmir valley — Anantnag-Rajouri, Srinagar, and Baramulla, the Union minister said, “Best of the people are discussing this and I assure you that whatever is being evaded, will be taken care of soon,” he said, adding that the party “has not left any ground”.

He said change does not take place overnight. “See the change and improvement in the situation (in Kashmir). Whatever shortcomings are there in the other political processes, they will also be fulfilled,” Puri said.

“Wherever there have been troubled conditions for an extended period of time and you opened up the process, you do not expect change overnight,” he said. “But I am very happy, I have been watching this situation for the last several years. I can assure you that change for the better is taking place in J-K and it will take place at an even faster rate very soon,” he added. Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir BJP chief Ravinder Raina said the party is finalising its strategy under the leadership of national president J P Nadda on the three seats of Anantnag-Rajouri, Srinagar and Baramulla on providing support to the contesting candidates as he requested people to reject Congress, National Conference and PDP for the larger interest of peace, development and prosperity of the region. The BJP has not yet expressed intent on announcing candidates for the Srinagar and Baramulla seats, while the last date for filing nominations for Anantnag-Rajouri was April 19.

To a question about developmental projects in J-K, Puri said development is an ongoing process. “The BJP manifesto has a plan for the first 100 days,” he said and asked to wait for the election results, after which all the schemes on infrastructure development, connectivity, and urban development will continue and more projects will be come up in these sectors. Asked about the questions raised against the Centre by National Conference and other opposition parties in J-K, the Union minister said,”The BJP and the BJP alone and the Prime Minister have done something like (abrogation of Article) 370 and brought this normalcy. Please bear with us a little more, political processes bottom up are growing and very soon you will see it at the same level as the rest of the country,” Puri added.