SRINAGAR: BJP president Amit Shah on Saturday arrived on a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir to hold interactions with party leaders and ministers over the prevailing tense situation in the Valley and strengthen party base in the State.
Amit Shah arrived in Jammu this morning. He was received by the airport by the saffron party leaders and ministers and taken in a cavalcade to Government Guest House, where he will be staying during his visit to the winter capital of the State.
A State BJP leader termed Amit Shah’s visit to the State as significant.
“Shah will meet party ministers, legislators, leaders, office bearers. He will also hold interactions with some civil society groups and citizens forum,” he said.
He said the BJP president will interact with State party leaders, ministers, legislators and office bearers tomorrow.
“During the meeting, the party affairs and political and security situation in the State, especially in the Valley which is on the edge, will be discussed threadbare. Shah will also review functioning of the PDP-BJP coalition government and performance of the BJP ministers,” the BJP leader said.
He said Shah may give some guidelines to the party leaders especially legislators and ministers how to strengthen the party base in the State, especially in Jammu.
“He may urge them to reach out to people and make them aware about the developmental activities being carried by the State government and funds for developmental activities in the State released by Central Government, especially the Rs 80,000 crores PM’s financial package for the state,” the BJP leader said.
He said the situation in Kashmir will be the main focus of Shah’s interactions with party leaders and ministers.
The BJP president recently told a TV channel that situation in Kashmir as a matter of concern.
He has said that government is working on strategy to tackle it.
“The situation in Valley will improve and there is no need to panic,” he had said.
Sources said the BJP president may advise State party leaders to camp in Kashmir as the summer capital will now be shifting to Srinagar and reach out to people of the Valley.
The State BJP has been advocating tough policy against stone pelters and separatists.
“The PDP’s soft policy towards stone pelters, flag waving youth, trouble mongers and separatists in the Valley has not worked and is not going to work. A person who takes law in his own hand has to be dealt with sternly,” BJP chief spokesman Sunil Sethi told New Indian Express.
He said PDP needs to understand that this “appeasement policy” won’t work and needs to take some hard measures to restore peace in the Valley.
Sources said no meeting has been fixed between BJP president and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.
“The BJP chief has no programme yet of meeting Mehbooba or PDP leaders,” they said.
According to sources if the meeting between BJP president and Mehbooba takes places, then it would discuss ways and means to reduce tension and restore peace and normalcy in Valley.