While the Congress focuses on issues related to farmers and the economy, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is set to highlight the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir on the campaign trail for Assembly polls.
With BJP national president Amit Shah set to kick off the Rashtriya Ekta Abhiyan from Mumbai on Sunday, the party has planned a rally in each constituency, focusing on Article 370.
A number of senior BJP leaders, including executive president J.P. Nadda, Ram Madhav, Lok Sabha MP and former Mumbai police commissioner Satyapal Singh, and spokespersons Sambit Patra and Gaurav Bhatia, will address rallies at different district headquarters. Mr. Nadda will be in Pune on September 23, while Ram Madhav will be in Aurangabad on September 29. Mr. Singh will address a rally in Satara in front of retired Army officers and families of soldiers who died on duty.
The leaders will meet eminent personalities to inform them about the abrogation of Article 370 and its importance. State BJP secretary Rajesh Pande, who is coordinating the Abhiyan in the State, said the party will approach around 4,000 prominent personalities with its message. “Senior leaders will address public meetings at the district level, but similar rallies will be organised in each constituency. The Abhiyan will continue till the first week of October,” he said.
Congress strategy
The Congress, meanwhile, is focusing on the economy and farmers’ problems. “The BJP-Shiv Sena government’s claim of having given the country’s biggest loan waiver of ₹34,000 crore to 89 lakh farmers has proved to be false. More than 50% farmers are yet to benefit from the scheme,” Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said. He said that as on August 31, the government had waived loans worth ₹18,761 crore of 44, 04,147 farmers, keeping nearly 45 lakh farmers waiting.
Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, Congress spokesperson Gaurav Vallabh said bank loans to industries in Maharashtra declined for the first time in 30 years in 2018. “The government should declare how much foreign investment came into the State through the Make in Maharashtra initiative and publish online district-wise data on how many new businesses are being set up,” he said.
