Ending the four-year-long hiatus from active politics, Ram Madhav, a senior RSS functionary and former BJP General Secretary is all set to play an active role in bringing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) closer to the corridors of power in Jammu Kashmir.
Late Tuesday evening, Party President JP Nadda sprung a surprise when he appointed Ram Madhav in charge of the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir along with Union Minister G Kishan Reddy.
Expressing his gratitude Ram Madhav posted on the micro-blogging site X, “I am extremely grateful to the Prime Minister for the assignment given to me as the BJP’s Election Incharge for J&K. From conversations, I realized that PM’s singular and statesmanly mission is to continue to provide good governance to the people of J&K after the historic abrogation of Art 370 by fulfilling his commitment of handing over reins of power to them through free and fair elections, just like the ones he conducted for the parliament a few months ago”.
Madhav also thanked Home Minister Amit Shah, party President JK Nadda, and his parent organization RSS for extending their support in the new assignment.
According to insiders in the party, Ram Madhav was brought back to the party fold at the behest of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to iron out differences within the Jammu Kashmir party unit and explore the possibilities of stable government formation after the culmination of the poll process.
His entry into the political landscape of Jammu Kashmir at this juncture is set to change the poll matrix after the culmination of the poll process. His contacts in the regional parties may come in handy during the government formation.
Ram Madhav was earlier removed as general secretary in September 2020. After the voters handed over a fractured mandate during the 2014 Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir, Ram Madhav along with Haseeb Drabu of the Peoples Democratic Party came together to stitch an alliance after which Mufti Mohd Sayeed took the oath of office as Chief Minister. After Mufti’s demise on January 7, 2016, Ram Madhav again negotiated on behalf of the party with the PDP leadership to form the government headed by PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti.
Meanwhile, Leader of the opposition Rahul Gandhi also arrived in Srinagar late Wednesday evening ahead of finalising a pre-poll alliance with the top brass of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference. He is accompanied by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, KC Venugopal, and others. Rahul is scheduled to address party workers and senior leaders on Thursday at a private hotel while the party leaders may take time off to formalize the contours of the pre-poll alliance on the sidelines of the day-long meeting. Rahul Gandhi is also scheduled to visit Jammu later in the day to address a workers convention before heading back to New Delhi.
