Srinagar: BJP on Wednesday said that it has made a strategic move of not fielding candidates on all seats of the Kashmir valley. Minister of State in the Narendra Modi government, Dr Jitendra Singh said that fielding and the number of candidates have no relation to the peace and stone pelting.
"It is a strategic decision of every political party. That will be also our strategic move," Singh told ETV Bharat in Srinagar. Singh was in Srinagar amid the fervour of the election and replied to the question of ETV Bharat about the party having fielded only seven candidates on 16 assembly constituencies in the valley districts where polls are slated for September 25 in the first phase. BJP has fielded only seven candidates on the 16 seats of Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian districts.
Reacting to the Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi's poll campaign visit to Kashmir, the BJP leader said Rahul Gandhi in Ramban said that BJP and Modi are promoting hatred in Jammu and Kashmir. "I want to tell him that because of the hatred and disharmony perpetuated by the two families, the country and the people of Jammu and Kashmir have to face three decades of terrorism. Reminding Rahul Gandhi of his Lalchowk night visit recently, Dr Jitendra took a dig at Rahul by saying due to the BJP government's efforts peace has prevailed in Jammu and Kashmir.
"After a lot of efforts, PM Modi has restored peace and atmosphere where Rahul Gandhi can relish Kebab in Ahdoos and ice cream in Lalchowk," he said. "They (NC and Congress) want to push Kashmir back into the hands that ruined Kashmir," he said. He said the vote percentage will go up in a fair and transparent atmosphere.
"We urge the people of the Kashmir valley to get rid of such political parties and politicians who want to bring ruin to the Kashmir," he said.
