PM Modi will inaugurate a slew of projects to launch BJP’s push for power in J&K. Governor Satya Pal Malik is on board with the idea of simultaneous polls.
New Delhi: The BJP’s central leadership is making a strong pitch for holding elections for the Jammu and Kashmir assembly along with the general elections later this year.
Sources in the central government told ThePrint that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also planning to visit the state on 3 February, where he will launch his party’s push for elections. He will go on an inauguration spree to send out a message to the masses.
Among other things, the PM will lay the foundation stones for several projects, including those which are being completely funded by the Centre. The new projects include two All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) — one for Jammu and another for Srinagar — the four-laning of the Jammu-Poonch national highway, some hydro-electric projects and a university for Ladakh.
The BJP has lost some ground due to anti-incumbency — it is visible even though the party snapped ties with the PDP in June last year and walked out of the Mehbooba Mufti-led state government — as well as due to the anger against the local leadership, especially former ministers and MLAs. The only hope it has for a revival of fortunes is if the assembly elections are held simultaneously with the Lok Sabha polls.
J&K Governor Satya Pal Malik, who is running the state administration under President’s Rule, is also on board with the idea of simultaneous elections, and has briefed senior state government functionaries, especially those in the security establishment.
The state government has already indicated to the Election Commission of India, through the Chief Electoral Officer, J&K, that there would be no problem if elections are held simultaneously.
Also read: Modi govt may hold Jammu & Kashmir assembly polls with Lok Sabha elections
The BJP’s plan
While PM Modi will remain the main vote-catcher for the party, the state leadership has been told in no uncertain terms that it needs to up its game if it wants to regain some of the lost ground.
In the last elections, the party had won an unprecedented 25 seats in the 87-member assembly. However, the tie-up with the PDP, in which the BJP became the junior but more powerful partner in the state government, cost it dearly in terms of support among the masses. This was one of the key reasons why the party suddenly walked out of the alliance last June.
Since then, the BJP, hoping to ride mainly on the development work being done by the Governor’s administration, is trying to rebuild its support.
In recent months, there have been meetings between the state unit and the central leadership, with several top leaders led by national general secretary Ram Lal and the party’s pointsman for J&K Ram Madhav scheduled to visit the state this weekend.
Sources in the BJP told ThePrint that the party is planning to drop a “number of unpopular MLAs” and replace them with fresh blood.
“The performance of many of our MLAs is not up to the mark and it has been decided to deny them the mandate when the assembly elections are held. We are doing to take a call on the new faces to be fielded in their place once the election process kicks in,” a senior BJP leader said.
Also read: Poll panel chief says Modi’s simultaneous polls desirable goal, but possible only in 2024
Tamil Nadu and Goa too should vote along with the general election. In J & K, difficult to judge if a fair poll with a high turnout is possible.