Assembly poll on the horizon? BJP appoints election in-charge for J&K

Srinagar, June 18

After the BJP appointed state election in-charges for the upcoming Assembly elections in Maharashtra, Haryana, Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir, the move is being seen as a signal that elections are imminent in J&K. Union Minister G Kishan Reddy has been given the charge of J&K Assembly poll by the saffron party.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP chief JP Nadda and party general secretary BL Santosh are set to meet five senior leaders of the party’s J&K unit after June 21. They will discuss the prevailing security and political situation at the meeting.

“By appointing an election in-charge for J&K together with poll-bound states of Maharashtra (October likely), Haryana (October likely) and Jharkhand (November-December), the BJP has signalled that the party is ready for elections in the state with the longest Central rule in the country,” political commentator Zafar Choudhary said.

However, he pointed out that “a standard narrative in case of Jammu and Kashmir that we have been hearing for a few years is that the final call shall be taken by the Election Commission in consultation with different security agencies.”

Reddy, previously connected with J&K as the Union Minister of State for Home and then Tourism Minister, is currently the Cabinet Minister for Coal and Mines. His appointment as election in-charge for J&K highlights the party’s focus on the region.

The five senior BJP leaders expected to attend the meeting after June 21 include Union Minister Jitendra Singh, UT’s BJP chief Ravinder Raina, general secretary Ashok Koul, national secretary Narinder Singh and MP Jugal Kishore Sharma. PM Narendra Modi will also visit Kashmir on June 20 and 21. The meeting will likely occur after his visit. The agenda will cover the political and security situation in J&K, also including the Assembly elections.

Party top brass to meet UT leaders

• Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP chief JP Nadda and party general secretary BL Santosh are set to meet five senior leaders of the party’s J&K unit after June 21
• The five BJP leaders expected to attend the meeting include Union Minister Jitendra Singh, UT’s BJP chief Ravinder Raina, Ashok Koul, Narinder Singh and MP Jugal Kishore Sharma
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also visit Kashmir on June 20 and 21. The meeting will likely occur after his visit