Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to kick off the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s election campaign in Jammu & Kashmir with the release of the party’s manifesto during his two-day visit to the region starting Friday.
Shah’s visit comes at a crucial juncture for the BJP in J&K, as the party faces growing challenges ahead of the upcoming assembly elections. Several BJP leaders and workers have been protesting and even leaving the party after being denied tickets.
On the first day of his visit, Shah will release the BJP’s manifesto, known as the “Sankalp Patra”, at 4 pm in Jammu. He will then chair a meeting with party leaders and meet delegations of party workers.
The following day, Shah will officially launch the BJP’s campaign with a rally in Jammu city. Jammu district, with its 11 assembly constituencies, holds significant importance for the BJP, as the party secured 9 of these seats in the 2014 elections, contributing to its overall tally of 25 seats in the region.
Shah’s visit to Jammu is seen as crucial in addressing the resentment within the BJP over ticket distribution in the Union Territory. The party has deployed several top leaders, including Union ministers, in a damage control exercise to calm the situation over the past week.
The launch of the campaign from Jammu is aimed at reassuring the people of the region about the BJP’s commitment to their welfare and development. Security has been tightened in and around Jammu, with multi-tier arrangements made at the venues, including the BJP’s media centre set up at a hotel in the Channi area.
Preparations, including sanitization and area domination protocols, are underway for Shah’s rally at Palora Top[1]. The BJP is gearing up for the three-phase J&K assembly elections, with the first phase scheduled for September 18, the second on September 25, and the third on October 1, with results to be announced on October 8.