Srinagar: Over 300 panchayat members has joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Kashmir post revocation of special status to Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcation of state into two union territories on August 5.
The figures were given by the party leadership days after the Jammu and Kashmir government announced to conduct the Block Development Council (BDC) polls in the state, scheduled on 24th of this month.
“In last two months, 300 panchayat members have joined the BJP in Kashmir- raising their number over 1500 members in the party fold,” Altaf Thakur, party’s J&K, Media In charge told Kashmir Reader, adding, the party leadership was working extensive on ground to fill the political vacuum in the Valley.
The party has mobilized its cadre in Kashmir to ensure maximum participation in the second tier of local government under the Panchayati Raj system.
The party office at Jawahar Nagar, Srinagar remained abuzz with activities in the last two months.
“The panchayat members were in favour of holding BDC elections to choose their representatives as Block Development Councilors (BDC’s), which is the 2nd tier of Panchayat Raj in J&K,” Thakur said.
Thakur, also the President of the Panchayat Raj Cell, Kashmir, said BJP was in favour of BDC polls since the first tier of panchayat elections.
BJP General Secretary (Org) Ashok Kaul, has been visiting different districts of Kashmir from last three days to finalise the party nominees.
“At every block, names of three panchayat members will be sent to party command, which will recommend the name of one candidate for BDC seat,” Thakur said.
Thakur, the party’s poll in-charge for Kashmir, said out of 137 seats the party would field its candidates in 131 seats in Kashmir.
The developments come at a time when major political party offices in Kashmir– including grand only party National Conference (NC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peoples Conference (PC), Awami Itehad Party (AIP), Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Movement (JKPM) and others have been almost abandoned by their party functionaries after the government detained key leaders and functionaries.
NC and PDP had also boycotted the panchayat polls held in last December, but polls were held amid strong protests by these parties.
Ahead of polls, security has been provided to 18 party functionaries of BJP, who have been assigned poll related responsibilities.

Mir Iqbal