To accomplish its Mission 44 plus and to consolidate its grip on ‘greater’ Jammu in the forthcoming Assembly polls, the executive committee of the State BJP is currently brainstorming in picturesque Jai forest area of Bhaderwah popularly known as ‘Chhota’ Kashmir.
The current exercise is aimed at preparing the comprehensive roadmap for the Assembly polls and to thrash out the issues concerning the electorate during the poll campaign.The BJP which had established lead on 29 Assembly segments during the lok Sabha polls in J&K is keen on improving its tally during the Assembly polls in the State which are likely to be held in October-November 2014.
The BJP wants to take maximum advantage of the four-way contest in the Jammu region.The existing alliance partners in the State — the Congress and the National Conference — are set to contest the Assembly polls separately without forging any pre-poll alliance.Senior leaders of both the parties have also made clear their preferences ahead of kick-starting their election campaign. Both Ghulam Nabi Azad and PCC chief Saif-ud-Din Soz have been maintaining that the alliance partners would be contesting separately but the final decision is yet to be taken by the party high command.
On the other hand to keep their political adversaries on tenterhooks, the organisers of the BJP meet at smartly chose backyard of former Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad’s home constituency as the venue of the meeting far away from the eyes and ears of State Government agencies.
The BJP is hoping to make inroads in the hilly districts of Doda and Kishtwar owing to complete polarisation of votes.The Congress despite losing majority of seats in the plain areas of Jammu region continue to maintain lead on at least six Assembly seats in the hilly districts. Split of votes between the alliance partners is bound to impact the prospects of Congress nominees and improve the chances of BJP candidates in the area.
A senior BJP leader attending the meeting told The Pioneer, “the agenda of the core committee meeting comprising around 50 leaders is going to be Mission 44 plus and how to achieve it in the Assembly polls”.