Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Elections: In an Exclusive interview with News24, Tarun Chugh, BJP’s National General Secretary, firmly denied any infighting over election mandates within the party, asserting that decisions are made democratically with input from grassroots workers. Chug took the opportunity to critique rival parties, particularly the National Conference (NC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), stating, “We aren’t the party of Father and Son or Mother and Daughter that everything will be decided in a closed room.”
Chugh emphasized the leadership of former Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh, who, while not contesting in the upcoming assembly elections, is guiding numerous BJP candidates. “Many BJP leaders are fighting these assembly polls under his directions and guidance,” he noted.
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Targeting Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, Chugh pointed out their recent defeats in the Lok Sabha polls, suggesting that the people of Kashmir have decisively rejected them. “They will face the same wrath in these elections as well,” he warned. He dismissed the NC-Congress alliance as an “expired election,” highlighting Congress’s failure to secure any seats in Jammu and Kashmir during the last Lok Sabha elections.
Chugh criticized the NC’s manifesto as misleading, pointing out contradictions within the party regarding Article 370. He remarked, “On one side, Omar Abdullah says they will bring back Article 370, while on the other, his father claims it won’t return for 100 years.” He reiterated that the article is unlikely to be reinstated in Jammu and Kashmir.
Further commenting on the shifting dynamics within the Abdullah family, Chugh noted the confusion surrounding their candidacies. “First, Omar said he would not contest; then Farooq declared he would fight. Now, Farooq isn’t contesting, and Omar is. They are sensing defeat on the ground,” he stated.
Chugh said that the BJP is contesting the assembly elections independently, without alliances, similar to their approach in the last Lok Sabha polls. Addressing the participation of former Jamaat-e-Islami members as independent candidates, he added, “Every citizen of the country has the right to participate and fight polls.”
At the end, Chugh stated that the people of the Kashmir Valley will shower their blessings on PM Modi, and the BJP lotus will blossom in the Valley.
