BJP ready for polls in J-K to decimate opponents, says party leader Kavinder Gupta

PTI, Sep 30, 2023, 9:44 AM IST

Hitting back at the National Conference’s (NC) Omar Abdullah, BJP leader Kavinder Gupta has said the party leadership in Jammu and Kashmir is waiting for all kinds of political contests to decimate its opponents ”brutally”.

Gupta on Friday said the BJP is always ready for all types of polls in Jammu and Kashmir and it is up to the Election Commission (EC) to take a call on holding the Assembly election in the Union Territory.

He was reacting to Abdullah’s remarks that the BJP does not want to hold the Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir.

”Those accusing the BJP of deliberately delaying the election are simply daydreaming because the BJP leadership in Jammu and Kashmir is waiting for all kinds of political contests to decimate its opponents brutally as the party enjoys tremendous support of the electorate — whether it is in Jammu, Kashmir or any other part of the Union Territory,” Gupta said.

The former Jammu and Kashmir deputy chief minister said the saffron party is ever ready for polls in Jammu and Kashmir and it is up to the EC to take a call on holding the Assembly election.

He said Abdullah is living in fool’s paradise because the BJP’s accomplishments have changed the scenario not only in Jammu but also in Kashmir.

After terrorism was ended in Jammu and Kashmir and normalcy restored by the BJP government at the Centre, the electorate has been galvanised and is standing shoulder to shoulder with the party to teach a lesson to the dynastic parties that ruined several generations of Kashmiris just to satiate their vested interests, Gupta said.

”The situation in Jammu and Kashmir has improved a lot over the last few years under the Narendra Modi government, but it is up to the EC to decide when the election will be conducted. As far as the BJP is concerned, it is always ready for elections, whether it is the panchayat, Assembly or Parliament,” he added.

Gupta said it was the Modi government that strengthened democracy at the grassroots level by conducting elections to the district development councils (DDCs) and block development councils (BDCs).

”From 87 selected MLAs, six MPs and three families, Modiji has shifted the democracy to 30,000 elected representatives on the ground in Jammu and Kashmir,” he added.

Gupta said dynastic parties, such as the NC and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) are being overenthusiastic as they are daydreaming that the poll outcome will be in their favour, but the reality is different and shall puncture their balloons of hope.