Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari on Sunday alleged the assembly elections in the Union Territory are being delayed as the BJP does not want to face the ‘angry’ voters.
“There is growing public anguish against the Union Territory (UT) administration for being directly controlled by the BJP. The party does not want to face the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir because of misgovernance. Therefore, the polls are being delayed without any justification,” he said.
Addressing a worker’s meeting at Mongri in Udhampur district, Bukhari said the administration has failed to do justice to the people with regard to their development, employment, and other issues.
He said growing unemployment and unaddressed issues of education and health sectors in Mongri and Panchari regions have given rise to “anti-administration sentiments”.
Bukhari, however, said if his party forms the next government, it will issue white papers with regard to development in every district to ensure equitable development.
Meanwhile, in a veiled attack on the BJP, Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad said holding of G20 meet in Srinagar was a welcome step but not holding a similar event in winter capital Jammu was “unfortunate”.
“It was unfortunate that the G20 summit was not held in Jammu also, though it is a welcome step to provide an opportunity to Kashmir to host this international event,” Azad said interacting with various delegations in different blocks of Doda district on his second-day visit.
He said the Centre, alongside Kashmir, should have also arranged a meeting of G20 members in Jammu as well to boost the economy and tourism in the region.
Taking a first-hand review of the ongoing membership drive of the party, he said the meeting with workers enables him to understand the ground situation, and “I am happy to receive direct feedback from the foot soldiers of our party”.
“The time has come when all the political parties should rise above the region and religion and shun divisive politics,” he said.
