BJP leader Syed Shahnawaz Hussain on Friday campaigned for the District Development Council (DDC) polls in Jammu and Kashmir and reiterated that the provisions of Article 370 could never be restored.
“The ‘Gupkar Gang’ is deceiving people by making promises over its restoration. The atmosphere in Jammu and Kashmir has changed after the abrogation of Article 370 last year. Jammu and Kashmir will see a new dawn of development,” Mr. Hussain, recently appointed Kashmir in-charge for the elections, said.
The former Union Minister and BJP national spokesman targeted the National Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the issue of dynasty politics. “Most leaders in Jammu and Kashmir are those who have a family background and did not allow others to grow,” he said.
The DDC polls are due to start on November 28.
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Mr. Hussain said the ‘Gupkar Gang’ had accepted the decision taken on August 5 last year “as they are taking part in the elections now.”
“The dreams floated by Dr. Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti can never come true. They used to say that ‘nobody in Jammu and Kashmir will raise the tricolour’. People are now raising the tricolour without any objection,” he added.
Earlier, BJP leaders Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Anurag Singh Thakur arrived in Jammu and Kashmir for the campaign. The BJP has deployed Mr. Hussain and Mr. Naqvi in Kashmir and Mr. Thakur in Jammu for the DDC polls, starting November 28.
On his second day of campaigning in Srinagar’s Balhama, Mr. Naqvi said people would teach the Gupkar alliance a lesson in the polls.
“These leaders have looted Jammu and Kashmir over the past 70 years. People will participate in the political process that will be a guarantee for the development, progress and prosperity,” Mr. Naqvi said.
He said there was no need to conduct elections after the removal of Article 370 but the sole motive of these polls was people’s participation in the political process.
