Ahead of J&K assembly polls, BJP plans to launch several outreach programme post budget session

New Delhi [India], July 5 (ANI): As the authorities started preparations for the assembly polls likely to be held by September as per the order of the Supreme Court, the Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) leadership in Jammu and Kashmir has geared up to start many outreach programmes after the budget session to reach out to the people and strengthen the grassroots.

A source at the BJP told ANI, “The BJP has started making preparations for the upcoming assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. The party is going to start many outreach programmes after the budget session to reach out to the people of the Union Territory. Preliminary discussions are being held.”

The leadership in all 10 districts of the Jammu region has been told to get reactivated and show their presence on the ground so that better results are ensured in the upcoming Assembly elections.

“BJP high command has directed the party unit in J-K to fully gear up for the upcoming assembly elections with specific strategies for each region,” the party further said, adding that “On July 4, an important meeting of the BJP Jammu and Kashmir Core Committee was held at the party headquarters, which lasted for about 3 hours. During the meeting, an entire discussion was held about preparations for the upcoming elections.”

In this meeting, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP national president JP Nadda, BJP national general secretary (org) BL Santosh, BJP’s J-K in-charge Tarun Chugh, BJP’s J-K election in-charge G Kishan Reddy, BJP’s J-K electiobn co-incharge Ashish Sood, BJP’s J-K state president Ravindra Raina, BJP’s J-K general secretary Ashok Kaul, and BJP leaders Devendra Maniyal, and Vivod Gupta were present in the meeting.

“This time there was deep brainstorming and contemplation on how to form a BJP government in Jammu and Kashmir. The BJP will reach out to people by highlighting the benefits of the central schemes and developmental work. The Union Ministers will go to Jammu and Kashmir ahead of the polls,” the party source added.

The party will also reach out to the Pahari community, the Gujar-Bakarwal communities, and other backward classes (OBC) as well. During the meeting, the results of the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections were also discussed, the party source added.

The party high command also congratulated the state leadership for their good performance in the Jammu and Kashmir Lok Sabha elections.

“Union Minister JP Nadda will reach Jammu on July 6 to attend the BJP’s working committee meeting. There, he will communicate with party workers and senior leaders. This meeting is also considered very important before the elections,” the party source said, adding that “any organisational change or membership drive campaign will not take place till the assembly elections.”

Notably, J-K is likely to see its first Assembly election in September this year, according to the timeline fixed by the Supreme Court after the erstwhile state’s special status was scrapped in 2019. The last assembly election in the erstwhile state was held in 2014.

The BJP-led government scrapped Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019 and bifurcated the state into two union territories. There have been demands from political parties for early assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir and the restoration of statehood. Earlier, the Supreme Court had asked the Election Commission of India and the Centre to conduct polls by September.