J&K Polls: Shah to Dole Out BJP’s Manifesto in Jammu Rally

Srinagar: Union Home Minister Amit Shah will release the BJP’s manifesto for the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections at a rally in Jammu on Friday. During his two-day stay in J&K’s winter capital, he would hold a series of meetings with local BJP leaders and workers to discuss with them the strategies for mobilizing voters, and outlining campaign activity across the Union Territory, the party sources said.

Mr. Shah who is among the BJP’s star campaigners for the Assembly elections in J&K being held in three phases from September 18 after a gap of ten years will also address a couple of party rallies during his visit, the sources said. He will visit the Kashmir Valley in mid-September to address rallies, the sources added

Senior BJP leader Ram Madhav who was recently appointed as the party’s in-charge for the Assembly elections in J&K along with Union Minister G Kishan Reddy said here on Wednesday that Mr. Shah’s two-day visit from Friday will be followed by that of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other party leaders.

Meanwhile, former lawmaker Chander Mohan Sharma who is among three senior BJP leaders who recently revolted against the party after being denied tickets to contest elections on Wednesday announced his decision to join the fray as an independent candidate from the Jammu East constituency.

“It is in response to the demand of the people of my constituency that I have decided to contest election from the Jammu East segment as an independent candidate. BJP has not done justice with its senior leaders and workers,” he told reporters in Jammu.

He claimed that there was widespread dissatisfaction and resentment among the people over various issues including BJP’s picking up “parachute candidates” and preferring them over hardworking and loyal workers. “They feel neglected. I had been in the party since the 1970s but I too was sidelined. Now the people want me to contest the election, and they have pledged to ensure my victory,” he said.

Mr Sharma will be taking on the BJP’s official candidate Yudhir Sethi. Jammu East is a stronghold of the BJP, the seat it has won four times since 1987.