- Former Jammu and Kashmir MLC Shahnaz Ganai on Monday joined the BJP, with the ruling party’s leaders lauding her work for the Scheduled Tribes and women in the region
- Ganai said the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had done a lot of good work for people and she had been impressed with his policy of ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’
Besides attacking Opposition and banking on Central Government schemes, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is focusing on social engineering in areas, which have remained out-of-bounds for the BJP in the past.
The BJP leaders have started an aggressive campaign in parts of Kashmir to woo the voters ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. While their campaign mostly rely on the flagship schemes of the Centre, the party is not leaving anything to chance this time and wooing different social groups and communities.
It has been learnt that directives have been received by the J&K unit from high command to ensure better performance and increase in percentage of votes in constituencies, which are not the party’s stronghold. The party at present has MPs from Jammu and Udhampur seats in the Jammu division.
While the party has no base in Baramulla and Srinagar constituencies, it is focusing on Anantnag seat and is busy in social engineering by wooing minorities, which the party expects to show some positive effect. The party is focusing on Sikhs, Kashmiri Pandits, Paharis and Gujjars in areas of Kashmir to make inroads in the region.
Kashmir region also holds importance for the BJP to show the world its acceptance after abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 as it will be the first elections post the decision. Ravinder Raina, chief of J&K unit of BJP, addressed a public rally at Kulgam area in South Kashmir on Sunday.
He said “The Central Government is the representative of the poor. It has worked for the welfare of every section of society, while keeping their interests in mind. Earlier governments did not bother about the needs of common masses and now the Union Government has reached the needy population through hundreds of dedicated schemes.”
Raina enumerated the public welfare schemes of Central Government and said free ration has been distributed to the 60 lakh people of J&K. He said earlier the housing schemes never reached actual needy people, but now the government has identified and given aid for the housing of the poor in every area.
On the other hand, senior leader of the party Sukhminderpal Singh Grewal visited Chittisinghpora with significant population of Sikhs and held discussions with the local population. Grewal said the Sikh population is living in the region for centuries and never thought about leaving the place.
He said he held discussion with the locals and their issues will be kept in front of the government for early redressal. The government has already reserved two seats through nomination for two members of Kashmiri Pandits one of whom will be a woman.
