india

Updated: Sep 04, 2019 03:12 IST

The Centre’s move to strip Jammu and Kashmir of its special status and to split the state into two union territories last month will be an important theme of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s assembly election campaign in Maharashtra, Haryana and Jharkhand, three leaders of the ruling party said.

Elections in the three BJP-ruled states are due later this year.

“We have walked the talk on Kashmir,” a BJP general secretary said. “Our campaign in the three states will certainly reflect this.”

The Centre last month abrogated Constitution’s Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir and barred outsiders from buying property and getting government jobs in the state. The abrogation was among the key poll promises of the BJP.

The leader cited above said that their campaign will focus on telling people the Narendra Modi government removed Article 370 because of the clear mandate that the BJP received in April-May parliamentary elections.

“This issue also adds weight to our nation-first commitment,” said a second leader, who is part of the BJP’s campaign strategy team. “This issue has touched one and all.”

A third leader said that there will be other issues in the campaign like as the achievements of the state governments. “But the Kashmir issue will be common to all.”

The third leader added that the issue has become more about national integration and national security. “People from Kashmir to Kanyakumari have identified themselves with this.”

Haryana and Maharashtra chief ministers Manohar Lal Khattar and Devendra Fadnavis have launched statewide campaigns for the assembly elections. Any reference to the Kashmir issue has drawn huge applause from people during these campaigns.

The second leader quoted above said Haryana has a significant number of people in the armed forces. “They connect with the Kashmir issue. Maharashtra, too, identifies itself with the national cause,” the second leader said. “We expect the Kashmir move to return big political dividends.”

The general secretary quoted above said that Kashmir has also remained largely peaceful after the removal of Article 370 and it will also go in the BJP’s favour.