BJP To Contest All Seats In Upcoming Jammu And Kashmir Assembly Polls: Amit Shah’s BIG Announcement In Srinagar

Union Home Minister Amit Shah asked the Jammu and Kashmir BJP unit on Thursday to prepare to contest all seats in the upcoming assembly elections, which will be held in September. Shah said this while meeting with a BJP delegation at Srinagar's Lalit Palace. The Home Minister, who arrived in Srinagar last evening amid tight security, met with delegations of Gujjars, Bakerwals, Paharis, and Sikhs.

Finally, he met with a BJP delegation that included Sunil Sharma, the BJP's general secretary and in-charge of Jammu and Kashmir affairs, as well as other leaders Darakshan Andrabi, Hina Bhat, Sofi Yousuf, Altaf Thakur, and BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh.

According to sources, Shah stated in his opening speech that he has worked tirelessly to strengthen the BJP at the grassroots level across the country. "At the outset, Shah expressed regret over the BJP not contesting three crucial Lok Sabha seats but said some battles are fought not to defeat the enemy but to strengthen our workers."

He urged workers to vote against the dynastic rule of the National Conference, PDP, and Congress in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections on May 13 and May 25 in the Baramulla constituency and Anantnag-Rajouri parliamentary seat, respectively.

The source added that during the meeting, Shah announced that the BJP will run for all seats in Jammu and Kashmir in the upcoming assembly elections. Shah asked the Jammu and Kashmir BJP unit to prepare for the upcoming assembly elections, stating that the party "will contest all assembly seats."

Shah's Kashmir visit comes just a day after the Jamaat-e-Islami expressed its willingness to return to electoral politics after 1987, provided the Centre lifts the ban imposed on it in 2019 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). There were reports that a Jamaat-e-Islami delegation was scheduled to meet with the Home Minister, but nothing happened until late last evening.

According to reports, Shah also held a high-level security meeting to discuss the upcoming Amarnath Yatra, the situation after Article 370 was removed, and the ongoing LeT elections.

Yesterday, NC Vice President Omar Abdullah and PDP President Mehbooba Mufti questioned Shah's visit to Kashmir. Former chief ministers have alleged that he has come here to help their opponents and BJP-backed political parties. However, due to the model code of conduct, he cannot make any political or administrative announcements and the BJP does not have any candidates in the field. Shah stayed in Srinagar last night and will return to Delhi this afternoon.