People want change, we'll get clear majority: BJP J&K in-charge Tarun Chugh

SANTOSH KUMAR PATHAK

New Delhi, Nov 27 (IANS) BJP national General Secretary and in-charge of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, Tarun Chugh claimed to form the government with full majority in the state, saying that the party organisation and cadre had been continuously strengthened in J&K.

In an interview to IANS, Chugh said that they had a strong organisation in the union territory since the time of Dr Syama Prasad Mukherjee, and during the last 70 years the people have been divided between three political families (Nehru-Gandhi family, Abdullah family and Mufti family) and are fed up with nepotism, corruption and treacherous governments. He said the people want a political change in the UT.

He added that after the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A, an atmosphere of trust has been created among the people seeing the way Prime Minister Narendra Modi worked to speed up development in J&K.

In the interview, Chugh claimed that the people held great expectations from the BJP.

Responding to a question about BJP's preparations for the Assembly polls, he said that the BJP is a party that works on social and political issues permanently. The party does not work only at the time of elections but is always active and therefore is ready for elections all the time.

Talking about how his party is strengthening itself in the valley, Chugh claimed that it had a strong organisation with a firm stand there.

He added that the BJP's DDC members won the elections in the valley and the party was also victorious in the panchayat.

Claiming that the BJP is moving forward with its cadre strength and the mass base, and popularity of the BJP is continuously increasing, he said that many veteran leaders from the Congress, National Conference, PDP and Panthers party have joined hands with the saffron party in recent times.

He added that this process of expansion of the BJP has been continuous in the whole country as well as in J&K.

Listing out the long list of achievements and works done by the Modi government to restore confidence and development in the valley, Chugh said that Kashmir joined the mainstream of the country after the revocation of its special status.

An atmosphere of security, trust, peace and development has been created in the UT, Chugh said.

He added that Modi built a bridge of development with the same stones that were pelted at the Army in Kashmir. Adding that the terrorist bases are being destroyed in the valley presently.

He mentioned an example of how Srinagar's Lal Chowk, which was once a den of fear and anti-national forces, has now become a symbol of patriotism.

He added that the party is very excited about the upcoming Legislative Assembly elections to be held in the valley, and preparations for the same are being made at many levels. While the party is engaged in expansion at the organisational level, continuous works of development are being done in the valley.

Chugh talked about the amount of Rs 58,477 crore approximately being released for 53 projects under the development package and Rs 30,757 crore of grants being given to the UT as per the recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission.

He mentioned various works by the BJP like, the verification of 4.4 lakh beneficiaries under Ayushman Bharat Yojana, 1.34 lakh houses sanctioned under PM AWAS Yojana (Rural), 30,000 government jobs for youth and self-employment opportunities for about 5.2 lakh people, promotion of sports infrastructure in Kashmir, success in making Kashmir a tourism capital, plan for development of major tourism and religious tourism circuits, completion of Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla rail link project by December, inclusion of Katra-Qazigund and Qazigund-Baramulla rail link project in national priority, the sanction of Rs 42 crore for the development of Hazratbal Shrine Board and marking of 26 tourist track routes in Baramulla and Kupwara districts.

Giving information about several such achievements and projects, Chugh said that the Central government is working actively for the all-round development of the valley and how it had been gaining the people's recognition.

Since Independence, the valley had been on the main agenda of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh and the BJP, he added.

While the BJP's focus is on the mass base leaders and vote banks of the opposition parties, the party is also working to create a new vote bank for itself.