J&K parties attack Centre over delay in Assembly elections

Our Correspondent

Jammu, June 7

In a renewed attack on the BJP-led Centre, political parties in Jammu and Kashmir have alleged that the ruling party was not holding the Assembly elections in the UT out of “fear of losing”.

Delaying tactics

The BJP is trying to postpone the polls on one pretext or the other. Since it has antagonised its own electorate, it is trying hard to buy time. The truth is it is resorting to delay tactics.

Harsh Dev Singh, jknpp leader

They have been accusing the Centre of delaying the elections in the UT, where the last Assembly elections were held in 2014 resulting in an alliance between now-rivals BJP and PDP.

The Opposition has renewed its attack as elections in five states — Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram, Rajasthan and Telangana — are scheduled later this year, but there is no clarity on J&K going to polls.

Feel betrayed

People of the Jammu region, especially the youth, feel betrayed by the BJP as the state lost its status, dignity and identity. Jammu suffered a lot under the BJP-led Central government.

Tara Chand, congress leader

Harsh Dev Singh of the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) said the BJP was trying to postpone the elections on one pretext or the other. “Since the BJP has antagonised its own electorate, it is trying hard to buy time. The truth is it is resorting to delay and deny tactics over the Assembly elections in J&K. The BJP is scared to face people in the wake of its multiple betrayals,” Singh said.

Demanding early polls, Singh said any delay would not only amount to subversion of democracy, but also violate Supreme Court orders.

Senior Congress leader and former Deputy CM Tara Chand said Jammu suffered a lot under the present regime and asked people to question the BJP on its achievements after the abrogation of Article 370.

Addressing a monthly meeting of party members in the Chhamb area, Chand said people of the Jammu region, especially the youth, feel betrayed by the BJP as the state lost its status, dignity and identity apart from the right to land and jobs guaranteed since the Maharaja’s time.

He said Jammu and Kashmir was a historical state with better living conditions than most other states, but now it had been pushed into the zone of political uncertainty.

Even the National Conference (NC) is leaving no opportunity to attack the BJP for not holding the Assembly elections.

During a recently held workers committee meeting in Udhampur, Mustafa Kamal, additional general secretary of the NC, said the Centre had demeaned the Indian democracy by showing reluctance to hold Assembly elections in J&K fearing its devastation due to anti-people policies.