Former militants campaigned for NC, PDP in J&K assembly polls: Ram Madhav | Mint

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national general secretary Ram Madhav has accused the National Conference (NC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) of seeking support from former militants for the upcoming assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. Madhav said both the parties want to take the Union Territory back to its “troubled” days.

“I have information that former militants are openly campaigning for NC and PDP candidates. People must defeat the parties that want to take Jammu and Kashmir back to its bad days and support the new leadership that wants peace and progress,” Madhav told reporters on September 4, referring to Abdullah and Mufti.

Madhav, the party’s in-charge for Jammu and Kashmir, said both the families should be shown the door. Madhav was with the party’s candidate from Lal Chowk constituency Aijaz Hussain when he filed his nomination.

Voting is being held in three phases for the 90-member assembly in Jammu and Kashmir. The first phase of voting in Jammu and Kashmir is to be held on September 18, while the second phase of voting will be held on September 25 and October 1. Counting of votes will take place on October 8.

So far, the BJP has released the names of 51 candidates in its four lists for the 90-member Jammu and Kashmir Assembly.

Referring to the election manifestos released by the NC and the PDP, which promised restoration of Article 370 and statehood, resolution of the Kashmir issue and talks with Pakistan, Madhav said both the regional parties want to take Jammu and Kashmir back to its old, troublesome days.

“I want to remind the people of Jammu and Kashmir that the NC, PDP and others have presented manifestos that will take Jammu and Kashmir back to the old, troubled days,” he said. New parties, new leaders will emerge in the Kashmir Valley, while the BJP will emerge as the representative of peace and development in the Jammu region, he said, adding that a new government will be formed in the Union Territory under the leadership of the BJP.

In the last assembly elections held in Jammu and Kashmir in 2014, the BJP had won 25 seats, all of them in Jammu. The saffron party failed to open its account in Kashmir. After delimitation, the Kashmir region of the Union Territory has 47 seats while Jammu has 43 seats.

Both NC and PDP hit back at Madhav’s allegations. Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP said the BJP has no right to preach as most of its so-called cadre in Kashmir is made up of surrendered militants. NC said Madhav’s remarks indicate that the BJP is scared of facing elections in Jammu and Kashmir.

The NC and the PDP are allies in the opposition Indian bloc at the national level, but rivals in Jammu and Kashmir.

When asked about several young faces contesting the elections, the BJP leader said this is the strategy of the people of Jammu and Kashmir as they want new leadership.

“A large number of youths are coming forward and they should be supported. This state was captured by two families, those two families should be shown the way out. This state needs to get rid of those families,” he said, referring to the families of National Conference president Farooq Abdullah and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti.

Madhav claimed that the BJP would emerge as the single largest party, but “if such a situation arises we will discuss it later.”

He also welcomed the entry of former members of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JEI) in the electoral fray. He said, “There is a place for everyone in democracy. We welcome all those who want to come forward to contest elections through democracy. But, no one should contest elections using the support of terrorists and former militants. The elections will be held in a peaceful and transparent manner. This is the assurance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, just as the Parliament elections were held in a transparent manner.”

Madhav said the Union Home Minister will address an election rally in the Jammu region on September 6. “After that, the Prime Minister and other leaders will also go there,” he said.