Fighting for the first time in a substantial way in the
state of Jammu and Kashmir and setting 44 plus seats as its goal, BJP has for
itself a mammoth task, and even the only odd that favoured it elsewhere, the
Modi wave, is not be important here.
Jammu and Kashmir has 87 seats, divided among Jammu, Kashmir
and Leh-Laddakh. Jammu has 37 seats while Kashmir has 46, thus making the later
more important. Unfortunately for the party, which is famous for its Hindutva
ideology, Kashmir is a Muslim majority area and completely anti BJP too.
Although BJP has been trying various political permutations
and combinations to get enough seats to get a majority in the state, its chances
of achieving that are quite slim. It has, for the first time in its history,
included Muslim candidates for elections and also floated various parties like
Sajid Lone`s People`s Conference and Socialist Democratic Party which will most
likely merge into it post polls, if not before.
Highly ambiguous too is BJP`s stand on Article 370, which
has already made it quite unpopular in Kashmir. There is confusion weather the
party will revoke, discuss or do nothing to the Article. In the absence of any
defining manifesto, with local spokespersons saying what suits their position
best, the situation is a complete mystery, which is not benefiting the party in
any way. People are suspicious of BJP`s intentions.
It is not surprising that even in Jammu the opposition to
BJP is becoming vocal. A Citizen Forum banner in Jammu city reads, ‘44+ or 0+,
we are not bothered.’
Another important development which is likely to be
detrimental for BJP is the inner friction in the party. Already a tussle has
started between the party high command and its local Kashmiri candidates. Responding
to BJP`s Jitendra Singh that the party has a clear stand on the article and it
will be included in the manifesto, Hina Bhatt, BJP`s candidate from Amirakadal,
Kashmir said that she will take up arms if the article is touched.
But when all is said and done, considering BJP`s involvement
in J&K`s development earlier, its mission 44+ seems rather a miscalculated
move.
No comments:
Post a Comment