BJP leaders to visit state on Jan 20, finalise poll strategy

Amit Khajuria

Tribune News service

Jammu, January 14

Three national leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are visiting the state on January 20 to attend a meeting of the State Working Committee, where they will discuss and finalise the party’s strategy for the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.

The state BJP unit has confirmed that national general secretary Ram Lal, national general secretary Ram Madhav and election in charge of the party in the J&K Avinash Rai Khanna will reach Jammu on Sunday to hold the meeting with state leaders of the party.

“The leaders are coming to address the meeting of the State Working Committee. The main agenda of the meeting will be the strategy for the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in the state, which are expected to be held together,” said Ravinder Raina, state BJP president.

The leaders will also discuss the preparation for the Prime Minister’s visit to the state, which is now scheduled for February 3.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a rally at Vijaypur to lay the foundation stones of AIIMS and other developmental projects. He is also expected to offer prayers at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine.

The state unit of BJP does not want to miss the chance to show its strength in the rally as Modi is expected to sound the election bugle in the state from the Vijaypur rally.

“The PM is scheduled to visit the state on February 3. He will straight way go to Ladakh, where he will lay the foundation stones of developmental projects. Then he will come to Jammu and lay the foundation stones of developmental projects and also address a rally,” Raina said.

“He will go to Kashmir the same day, where he will meet newly elected panches and sarpanches,” he added.

According to sources, BJP president Amit Shah is also expected to visit the state next month to give a final touch to the preparations and strategy for the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections after the Prime Minister’s rally at Vijaypur.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh recently said the government was willing to hold the elections in Jammu and Kashmir along with the general election.

The BJP high command has asked its J&K unit to start the preparations for the simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in the state.

The Legislative Assembly was dissolved on November 21 by Governor Satya Pal Malik and it is necessary for the Centre to hold the elections in the state within six months of the dissolution of the House in the state.