The BJP has set the ball rolling on the upcoming elections in Jammu and Kashmir by constituting a 12-member election manifesto committee that will seek suggestions from the people for a pro-people election manifesto.
The move comes amid the two-day visit of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to the union territory on August 8 to discuss the possibility of holding elections with the political parties, administration and securities agencies.
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The suggestions from the people will be sought through dedicated phone numbers and email addresses.
The development suggests that the chances of assembly elections are very likely in September as per the Supreme Court directive to the ECI.
Senior BJP leader and in-charge of media relations Sunil Sethi said they will go to the cross-section of society to know their demands.
He said they would talk to the chamber of commerce, traders, industrialists, casual labourers, ex-servicemen, advocates, doctors, etc.
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“Then we go the Sabhas, Brahmin sabha, Rajput sabha, SC and ST community,’’ he said. “We have to take a holistic view of the problems faced by the cross-section of the society. Then we will make our manifesto which will look into the problems faced by the people with a promise that all those problems will be solved,” Sethi added.
All regions across Jammu and Kashmir will be covered, he said.
“We have teams ready for all the districts and all senior leaders are engaged in this,’’ he said. “The process has already started and we have to conclude it by August 15,” he said adding they will prepare the manifesto for the elections afterwards.
The election manifesto committee will have 12 members and will be headed by senior BJP leader and former deputy chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Dr. Nirmal Singh.
The committee was constituted by the J&K election affairs in -charge and Union Minister G.K. Reddy during his visit to Jammu last week. People on condition of anonymity have been requested to call 9541903938, a toll-free number for their suggestions. Separate teams will reach out to people in central Kashmir, north Kashmir, and south Kashmir. The suggestions will be compiled into a report sent to senior leadership in Delhi for the manifesto.
