With the Amarnath Yatra over on August 19, the ball is likely to start rolling on assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has already started preparing for the same. Its leadership met to deliberate largely on the party’s election committee.
Before the Delhi assembly polls, JP Nadda, the BJP president, Amit Shah, the union home minister, and the state BJP leaders had a meeting in Delhi to discuss the poll strategy. Mature findings show that Shah instructed the state leadership to ‘be ready’ for the elections; the BJP has planned to fight on its own and contest all 90 seats alone.
The party has not ruled out the possibility of a post-poll alliance with ‘like-minded parties’ but has not declared a CM face. However, as in other state assembly elections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the main face of the campaign.
The BJP may well include among its promises the liberation of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir or at least the regions mentioned as PoK; issues linking the area to India and Maharaja Hari Singh, who decided in favour of India. During the campaign, it is also expected to initiate subjects like the J&K Bank Scam and Roshni Scam.
That is, the state’s standing in a critical political war, the role of the BJP operation and the public reaction will determine the future of Jammu and Kashmir.
