BJP’s state general secretary says cadre is being mobilised for polls not held since 2010; security fears cast cloud over process.
New Delhi: After its first stint in government in Jammu and Kashmir, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is all set for a further foray into the state’s political landscape. The party is looking to contest the much-delayed urban civic body elections and the panchayat polls and has already begun to mobilise its cadre, both in Jammu and in Kashmir, even while the situation in the Valley has been tense.
The BJP, which finished in second place after winning in 25 seats during the 2014 state assembly elections, has begun its bid to gain a foothold in state’s grassroots institutions by backing candidates for the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) elections, which are currently underway. The LAHDC, which controls Kargil district politically, has 26 seats.
“We will contest in all urban local body polls and the panchayat polls across the state. We are fully prepared and the basic structure for setting up an organisation is in place,” state BJP general secretary Ashok Kaul told ThePrint. “We have already started work on the ground.”
He added that the recent killing of a BJP worker has only “made the party stronger” in its resolve to contest the elections. On 22 August, militants barged into the house of BJP worker Shabir Ahmed Bhat, in Pulwama, and killed him.
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While the urban civic body polls have not been held in the last eight years, the panchayat elections were last conducted in 2011.
In his Independence Day speech, former state Governor N.N. Vohra announced that the urban body elections will take place in September-October, while the panchayat elections will be phased out between October and December this year.
The urban body polls are fought on party symbol but candidates for the panchayat elections contest as Independents. Political parties, however, back the panches and sarpanches.
The security issue
The BJP is the only party in the state that backs panchayat elections at this time. The other major parties, the National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party, had opposed holding the polls, raising security concerns and highlighting the deteriorating situation in south Kashmir.
“The BJP is always ready for any democratic process in the state. We will support any process that strengthens the democratic process at the grassroots level. As far as our cadre is concerned, we are always ready to help people and pave the way towards development and normalcy,” BJP spokesman Khalid Jehangir told ThePrint.
The Chief electoral officer (CEO) of Jammu and Kashmir, Shaleen Kabra, said the State Election Commission (SEC) is preparing to hold municipal elections.
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“All the stakeholders of the government are working together to conduct these elections in a peaceful and fair manner,” Kabra told a local news agency Saturday.
Top sources within the security establishment, however, expressed concern at the sheer magnitude of the security challenge. Their troubles are compounded by the new format of the panchayat elections.
“Earlier, only the panches were elected. The sarpanches used to be nominated by the elected panches but now even post of sarpanch is to be contested. This puts an extra burden on security forces as the number of candidates is likely to go up three-fold,” said the source.
The challenge will lie in providing them with security as grassroots leaders have been targeted by militants. In recent years, around 16 sarpanches and panches have been killed by militants with several injured. The state police have already begun working out a security plan for the upcoming polls. Additional forces could be called in given the sensitivity of certain areas.