As the media reports and Jammu and Kashmir BJP leadership said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Kashmir on March 7, a strong message is likely to be conveyed about ‘Naya Kashmir’ post abrogation of Article 370 and the massive infrastructure push being given by central government to change Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
Incidentally, it will be PM Modi’s first visit to Kashmir valley after abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019. Earlier on February 20, PM Modi addressed a huge public rally in Jammu and launched developmental projects worth 32 thousand crores across the country. Abrogation of article 370 and visible development in Jammu and Kashmir are going to be one of the main issues of BJP campaign during forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, likely to be held in several phases in April and May.
BJP Parliamentary Board is looking at the feedback from Ladakh and Jammu-Kashmir to announce its candidates. While the BJP has a strong base in Jammu and have the sole MP of Ladakh from the party, it is confident making inroads into Kashmir valley by concentrating on Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat.
“It was a longstanding demand of people here that Prime Minister come and address them. Now on March 7, he will be addressing a rally,” media quoted Jammu and Kashmir BJP chief Ravinder Raina as saying. Top sources privy to the developments told local media in Kashmir that Raina has requested the BJP Parliamentary Board to withdraw his name from Jammu-Reasi constituency and said if party find it proper, he is ready to contest from Anantnag-Rajouri seat.
The BJP is focussing on the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat which comprises the south Kashmir areas of Shopian, Kulgam and Anantnag, and Rajouri-Poonch areas in Jammu. Before delimitation, the Anantnag seat comprised only of the four south Kashmir districts – Shopian, Kulgam, Pulwama and Anantnag. Public rally in Srinagar is considered as a part of BJP’s election campaign for the coming parliamentary polls.
PM Modi is already addressing public rallies from South India to West Bengal to UP even as the announcement of Lok Sabha polls is likely to be made in a few weeks.