The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) is convening a two-day coordination committee meeting with its affiliated organisations in Jammu starting today. The focus is to discuss the evolving political situation in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and strategies for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
This meeting holds significance in light of the recent Supreme Court verdict upholding the abrogation of Article 370. The court has also directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to conduct elections in J&K by September 30, 2024. There is a possibility that the ECI might not conduct the assembly and Lok Sabha polls simultaneously in Jammu and Kashmir.
The BJP is optimistic about securing power in J&K following recent victories in MP, Rajasthan, and Chhattisgarh. Additionally, the party has introduced four bills with significant political implications for regional parties, and advantage to the BJP.
Key figures expected to participate in the meeting include Seh Sarkariva Dr Krishan Gopal from Sangh, BJP leaders Tarun Chugh and Ashish Sood, RSS Pranth Pracharak Rupesh Kumar, and heads of various Sangh sister organizations. Chugh and Sood are anticipated to attend the BJP’s upcoming workshop on the Vishwakarma Yojna announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The one-day workshop, set at the BJP Headquarters in Trikuta Nagar, will involve J&K BJP president Ravinder Raina, general secretary Ashok Koul, senior leaders, UT office-bearers, district presidents, Morcha heads, and OBC Morcha leaders from across the UT led by president Sunil Prajapati.
The RSS Coordination Committee meeting, inclusive of senior BJP leaders and its affiliates, will deliberate on the ongoing political scenario in the UT and the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections in J&K. Discussions on the possibility of concurrent assembly elections in the UT with next year's Lok Sabha polls will likely take place. Considering that Assembly polls for four states coincide with the Lok Sabha elections, the issue of J&K assembly elections holds significance in these discussions.
The meeting aims to enhance cooperation among RSS affiliates to address identified shortcomings and prepare effectively for the upcoming polls. The BJP workshop will emphasize the benefits of PM’s Vishwakarma Yojna, for which a budget of Rs 13,000 crore has been allocated.
A subsequent five-day registration camp aims to expand the scheme's reach among individuals from various trades across the UT. Participants will receive training, stipends, tool kits, diplomas, and access to new technologies to enhance their skills.
The BJP has also scheduled an office-bearers meeting to strategise for the Lok Sabha polls, review the implementation of Modi Government schemes, assess the impact of Viksit Bharat Yatra, and organise events commemorating former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's birthday on December 25, alongside other party programmes.
