SRINAGAR: Home Minister Amit Shah will release the BJP manifesto for Assembly polls in Jammu on Friday afternoon. The manifesto is likely to focus on Article 370, jobs, special package for refugees and Kashmiri Pandits, women empowerment, and reiterating of commitment to restore statehood to J&K.
Shah will kickstart BJP’s election campaign for Assembly polls with a poll rally in Jammu on Saturday.
BJP spokesman Sunil Sethi told this newspaper that Shah will arrive on a two-day visit to Jammu on Friday. “Amit Shah will release the party manifesto for J&K Assembly polls in Jammu at 4pm on Friday,” he said.
On August 5, 2019, the Centre scrapped Articles 370 and 35A, which grants special status and special privileges to J&K residents, and bifurcated erstwhile J&K state into two Union Territories—J&K (with legislature) and Ladakh (without legislature).
“The BJP manifesto will dwell in detail about works and welfare schemes launched in J&K post Article 370. It will promise jobs to unemployed youth, special package for West Pakistan Refugees (WPRs) and migrant Kashmiri Pandits,” the BJP leader said.
He said the BJP manifesto will promise women empowerment and regularization of all daily wagers in J&K.
“The party will also reiterate that the Centre has made a commitment to restore statehood to J&K at an appropriate time,” the leader said.
The National Conference, PDP, Apni Party and Peoples Conference of former minister Sajjad Gani Lone have released their manifestos and all the four parties have pledged to restore Article 370 and statehood.
Shah will also kickstart the BJP election campaign by addressing a rally in Jammu, the party’s stronghold, on Saturday. Large number of party workers are expected to attend the rally during which Shah will seek support for BJP candidates in Jammu district.
Since the election is first since Article 370 abrogation, it is very important for BJP and the saffron party will use 40 star campaigners including PM Modi for poll campaign in J&K to seek votes for its candidates.
Omar to contest from 2 seats
Former J&K Chief Minister and National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah has decided to contest from two Assembly seats and filed nominations from central Kashmir’s constituency of Budgam on Thursday.
He had filed nomination papers from Ganderbal constituency yesterday. The former J&K CM, who had vowed after Article 370 abrogation not to contest Assembly polls till statehood, would now be contesting two Assembly seats.