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BJP to focus on devolution of powers to Jammu, Leh

By Neena Vyas

NEW DELHI AUG. 14. The promise of regional councils for Jammu and Ladakh is expected to figure prominently in the Bharatiya Janata Party's manifesto for the Jammu and Kashmir elections and the party will talk about the "devolution of powers" from Srinagar to Jammu and Leh rather than from New Delhi to Srinagar.

The BJP general secretary in-charge of the State, Arun Jaitely, today indicated that while the party would build upon the feeling of neglect in the Jammu and Ladakh regions, it would oppose the demand for trifurcation of the State as a means to address that grievance. If any "morcha" were to take up the issue of trifurcation (which has been supported by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad), the BJP would oppose it.

The two issues that have been identified — on Tuesday, the meeting of general secretaries with the party president, M. Venkaiah Naidu, and the Deputy Prime Minister, L.K. Advani, did discuss election strategy — so far are "regional discrimination" within the State and the fight against terrorism. The BJP is hoping that the issues would strike an emotional chord, especially in Jammu that has been a victim of neglect and a target of terrorist attacks. It seems that the BJP has not yet made up its mind on how many seats it would contest, but some leaders indicated that while the party would contest all seats in the Jammu and Ladakh regions, its presence in Kashmir might be limited. "Where is our constituency in the Kashmir Valley? The `pandits' who may have voted for us have been driven away," a party office-bearer said.

The central election committee would possibly meet next week to decide on how many seats the party would contest and also to begin the task of identifying issues for the campaign.

After the notification of polls, it would finalise the candidates.

While the BJP has made it clear that it would have no truck with the National Conference (although they are "partners" in the NDA coalition at the Centre), some political observers believe that by leaving key seats in Kashmir uncontested, the BJP will signal that it is with the NC indirectly.

Although on the face of it, the BJP will take on the NC during the campaign, privately many leaders said that the party would like to see the NC come back to power as Farooq Abdullah was the "safest bet" for Kashmir. "If the BJP has to sacrifice a few seats in the national interest, it will," one leader said.

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