The BJP has been trying to expand its support base in the Kashmir valley and holding consultations with different stakeholders to spruce up its campaign strategy, still it has decided to stay firm on its stand on Article 370.
Minister of State Jitendra Singh on Tuesday reiterated that issues (including Article 370) which have been part of the BJP manifesto all these years will be part of the agenda during the Assembly polls in Jammu & Kashmir.
“BJP’s stand is very clear on all these issues and it is known to you,” Singh said when quizzed repeatedly by reporters on the occasion of launch of high-tech media centre of the party in Jammu. He was responding to a straight question whether the BJP will abrogate Article 370 if voted to power. However, he made efforts to downplay the entire focus on Article 370.
However, party insiders claimed the BJP’s manifesto for the upcoming Assembly elections - which will be released on November 15 - talks about Article 370 in two parts. In part-I it reads: “The party will initiate comprehensive debate in all three regions of the State to ascertain as to whether the Article 370 has benefited a common man in all these years, or it has deprived him of the benefits which people in rest of the country enjoy.”
The second part reads: “The party is committed for abrogation of Article 370, and if voted to power, will work towards removing all obstacles hampering State’s complete integration with the country.”
Jitendra Singh said, “During elections you have to prioritise the issues keeping in mind the aspirations of the people at a given point of time…the war cry of 2014 Assembly elections in the State would be to liberate the people of the State from years of misgovernance, corruption and misappropriation of central funds by the dynastic rulers.”
Singh said the BJP is going to contest the Assembly polls on the plank of development and giving good governance to the people of state.
“Our party has given a model of good governance in different States of the country and the electorate has voted for the party in successive terms. If the people of J&K want to reap rich dividends they too would support the party in the Assembly polls,” he added.