Amid reports that maiden assembly elections in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir will be held in April-May, the national general secretary organization of BJP B L Santhosh on Wednesday asked the party leaders to gear up for polls.

At a meeting with senior party leaders of the Union territory, he emphasized strengthening party units at booth and assembly constituency levels. He asked the party in-charges to focus on winning the election in their respective areas.

The meeting came days after senior party leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah held deliberations with party functionaries from Jammu and Kashmir in Delhi.

The assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir are likely to be held this year, though there has been no official announcement yet.

BL Santhosh, while addressing the meeting, emphasized strengthening all the party units putting strenuous stress on the booth management and assembly constituency levels. He asked the party "Prabharis" to concentrate on winning the election in their allocated areas ensuring their extended tours in those areas.

B L Santhosh
BJP media cell

"A leader is born when he selflessly works for the win of others and the organization. So you all must devote yourselves to the organizational duties till all the elections are over" he said. The meeting was also attended by Union minister Jitendra Singh, BJP national general secretary, J&K in-charge Tarun Chugh, and J&K BJP president Ravinder Raina.

Abrogation of Art 370 paved the way for the overall development

"This is the first major election campaign after historical changes and hence we need to contest these elections with total companionship, in one voice, taking all together and ensuring that not even a single vote gets slipped out of our kitty", said BJP national general secretary.

He said the BJP is the only party that has truly cared for the rights of the residents of Jammu and Kashmir.

Referring to the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution which accorded special status to Jammu and Kashmir, he said it has paved the way for the development and granting of rights to every single community.

B L Santhosh
BJP media cell

Tarun Chugh, in his address, laid stress on reorganizing the party at various levels taking into account the changes made through the delimitation exercise.

He said party leaders have to work out plans in advance and harmoniously implement them on the ground.

Ravinder Raina, in his presidential address, welcomed all the senior party leaders into the meeting saying that this meeting is sort of a workshop for the party leaders in preparation for the approaching elections. He also remembered the Dangri victims after which all the participating BJP leaders observed two minutes of silence praying for the departed souls.

J&K is without an elected government since June 2018

Jammu and Kashmir is without an elected government since June 2018 when BJP dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) followed by the resignation of the then Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.

Five months later, on November 28, 2018, then Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik dissolved the legislative assembly minutes after Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP staked a claim to form the government with the support of Congress and the National Conference.

A month later on December 19, 2018, then President Ram Nath Kovind issued a proclamation promulgating President's Rule in J&K under article 356 of the Constitution of India.

Eight months later on August 5, 2019, the BJP government abrogated Article 370 and bifurcated Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

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