On August 30, Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy, who is also the BJP’s in-charge for elections in Jammu and Kashmir, addressed the upcoming Assembly polls. He stated that the people of the union territory face a clear choice between terrorism and peace.
Reddy criticized the National Conference (NC), Congress, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for their roles in promoting terrorism and separatism in Jammu and Kashmir. He emphasized that voters have two distinct options in the upcoming elections: either to support terrorism and separatism or to choose development and peace.
“We have always been transparent about our political stance,” Reddy said at a press conference. He highlighted that since the BJP’s formation, the party had committed to revoking Article 370. Reddy affirmed that the BJP fulfilled this promise, aiming not just to engage in politics but to secure the rights that the people of J&K had long awaited.
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According to Reddy, this election represents more than just a political contest for the BJP. It is, in his view, a struggle against the Congress-NC alliance. He alleged that the “Rahul-Omar alliance” seeks to revive terrorism and separatism in J&K. However, Reddy vowed that the BJP would prevent this from happening. He called the election a struggle to keep Pakistan and its proxies at bay while maintaining the path of development and peace.
Reddy challenged the voters of J&K to decide whether they want a return to terrorism and separatism or if they prefer a future of development and peace. He urged them to choose whether they want Kashmiri youth engaged in constructive activities or back on the streets with stones.
In addition, Reddy announced that the BJP will soon release its manifesto, which will address various sectors and focus on peace and prosperity. He criticized the Abdullahs and Muftis for allegedly neglecting the Jammu region, and questioned whether Rahul, Omar, and Mehbooba wish for a separate flag and constitution for J&K.
On the electoral front, the NC and Congress have agreed on a seat-sharing arrangement for the Assembly elections. Out of 90 seats, the NC will contest 52, Congress will compete for 31, and two seats are reserved for CPI(M) and the Panthers Party. Additionally, both NC and Congress will field candidates in a friendly contest for five seats: Nagrota, Bhaderwah, Banihal, Doda, and Sopore.