Jammu, Jan 20: BJP general secretary Ram Madhav on Sunday said while his party would most likely go it alone in the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, it would form a “stable government with some friends” in the state after the polls.
He said his party would contest all seats in the state.
“There is the least possibility of a pre-poll alliance with any party for the assembly elections in the state. The BJP will emerge (as) the largest party after the elections and will give a stable government to the people with some friends,” Madhav told reporters here.
Due to the special circumstances in the state, “we have no hesitation in joining hands with others” to form the government, he said.
Talking about the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) erstwhile ruling alliance with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he said, “After elections we formed an alliance, but today again the BJP is going it alone in the elections.”
The BJP leader said Prime Minister Narendra Modi will kick-start the party’s campaign for upcoming Parliamentary and Assembly polls in the state during his visit on February 03.
“While the parliamentary elections are scheduled for April-May, the BJP is ready for the assembly polls in the state as well. It is up to the Election Commission to decide whether the two polls are held together or separately,” Madhav said.
The Election Commission had in November last said fresh elections in Jammu and Kashmir would be held within the next six months. The state is currently under President’s rule.
Madhav dismissed allegations that the BJP did not favour Assembly polls in the state.
“There is no truth in the rumours being spread that the BJP is not in favour of early assembly polls in the state,” he said.
He claimed some other parties wanted the polls to be deferred as they feared losing.
Asked about the PDP expelling former minister Altaf Bukhari, Madhav said, “I don’t want to talk about internal matters of another political party, but I must underscore one point here that he is the same leader who was projected as the chief minister of the combined opposition when they (PDP, Congress and National Conference) were trying to form the government in the state just a couple of months ago.”
Speaking about rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits, Madhav said the BJP has prepared a roadmap for the community’s return and rehabilitation and it will be implemented only when the situation in the Valley turns conducive.
“We had identified land at five places in the Valley for Pandit townships… but due to various reasons, it could not materialize, the biggest being the prevailing security situation in the valley,” he said.
The BJP leader said the party was bound by its promise to Kashmiri Pandits and when the situation improves, it will take the community’s leadership into confidence and move forward.
About the row over an order making attendance mandatory at Republic Day events for state government employees, Madhav said any opposition to attend the functions cannot be accepted as it is a matter of pride for every citizen.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration made it mandatory for government employees to attend Republic Day functions at Srinagar and Jammu and has warned that any failure will be “construed as dereliction of duty and disobedience of government instructions”.
“It is a matter of pride for every Indian. We all have to participate in the Republic day parade,” the senior BJP leader said, while replying to a question on political parties reportedly criticising the order.
Hitting out at political leaders from the Valley, he said, “When in power, they say something and when out of power, they pander to separatist sentiments. Such leaders exist in valley-based parties and this is an open secret and the whole country knows about it.”
He added, “If some officers are opposing, it is a serious matter and I am sure the state administration will take necessary action.”
The main Republic Day event in the state would be held in Jammu, where Governor Satya Pal Malik will preside over the function. In Kashmir, the main function would be held at the Sher-i-Kashmir cricket stadium in Srinagar.
