Puri: Talks on within BJP over backing candidates in 3 seats
Srinagar, April 20
The BJP is not leaving any ground and the “best of the people” are discussing the matter on supporting candidates in the three Lok Sabha seats of Kashmir valley, Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Saturday. Speaking at Viksit Bharat ambssadors’ meet here, Puri said the 2024 general elections would produce a victory in favour of development so that the country moves forward to another significant chapter in the realisation of a ‘Viksit Bharat’.
Asked about the BJP’s expectations from the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the minister said, “The country is in election mode. The BJP’s expectation from the country is that the 2024 elections will produce a convincing victory for development, for ‘vikas’, so that we move to another significant chapter in the realisation of a Viksit Bharat.”
Asked why the BJP did not field any candidate on the three seats in the Kashmir valley — Anantnag-Rajouri, Srinagar and Baramulla, the Union minister said, “Best of the people are discussing this and I assure you that whatever is being evaded, will be taken care of soon,” he said, adding that the party “has not left any ground”.
Meanwhile, J&K BJP chief Ravinder Raina said the party was finalising its strategy under the leadership of national president JP Nadda on the three seats of Anantnag-Rajouri, Srinagar and Baramulla on providing support to the contesting candidates as he requested people to reject Congress, National Conference and PDP for the larger interest of peace, development and prosperity of the region.
The BJP has not yet expressed intent on announcing candidates for the Srinagar and Baramulla seats, while the last date for filing nominations for Anantnag-Rajouri was April 19. To a question about developmental projects in J&K, Puri said development is an ongoing process. “The BJP manifesto has a plan for the first 100 days,” he said and asked to wait for the election results, after which all the schemes on infrastructure development, connectivity, and urban development will continue and more projects will be come up in these sectors.
