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| Before campaign ends, Jammu brimming with slogans | | Sonia arriving today, Advani seeks ‘decisive’ vote for Jammu | |
Early Times Report
Jammu, Dec 20: Just two days have left for the campaign for last phase of ongoing elections to end and the winter capital city of Jammu as also its adjoining areas have become a hub of hot political activity, a landing ground for top leaders and a laboratory for new and innovative slogans.
One after the other top leaders of various political parties are landing in the town as campaigning intensifies in 13 constituencies of Jammu and Samba districts before it ends for the polling on December 24. Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate LK Advani today addressed a public meeting here despite incessant raining throughout the day. Tomorrow is the turn of Congress President Sonia Gandhi who will address an election rally near RS Pura.
Leaders are coming in with their last minute catching slogans to mould the public opinion. BJP leader LK Advani today made most of the Amarnath land row agitation and claimed that BJP is committed to empowerment of Jammu region. He asked his audience that they should show same spirit in voting which they showed during the agitation. He paid tributes to the people who had led the Amarnath shrine land agitation.
Every leader is making an effort to convince the voters that only his party is poised to form the government. This is being done to firm up the wave so that people make up mind for the winning party. Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit who was also in the town for campaigning, primarily focused on clarifying the statement of External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee who had hinted at Congress entering into a post-poll alliance to form Government in Jammu and Kashmir. Sheila said, “we are contesting this election for forming government of our own”.
While BJP General Secretary Arun Jaitly and national Vice President Shanta Kumar are camping in Jammu the party had pulled in almost all top leaders to campaign here. BJP president Rajnath Singh, former Minister Murli Manohar Joshi, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal and a dozen of other second rung leaders have already campaigned in the region.
Similarly from the Congress camp, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi and General Secretary Rahul Gandhi have already addressed one public meeting each in Valley and Jammu. Sonia is coming again tomorrow to sign off the campaign.
Sheila
People know Congress means development
“There is nothing to read much in the statement of External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee that Congress that Congress will enter into alliance to form government in Jammu and Kashmir. We are contesting this election at our own and we are looking at a clear majority to form government of our own”, said Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit addressing a press conference here today. Putting a stamp on development campaign of Congress in J&K, she said, “this was the agenda which brought us to power in Delhi for third time in row. First time in the history of the state, so many developmental works were undertaken during the rule of Congress-led government and now the people of Jammu and Kashmir have understood that which party’s victory is in the best of their interest, she said. "The Congress-led government not only undertook historical steps in matters of laying railway track in the valley, road connectivity in far-flung areas, distribution of government land to farmers free of cost and creation of more districts and tehsils in the state but also ensured peaceful atmosphere during the last three years," Sheila said. In spite of BJP’s tirade on our party, the Congress came to power in Delhi for the third time because it sincerely implemented policies for the welfare of the people in the national capital; she assured that in the same way the party will work for the welfare of the people in Jammu and Kashmir. Sheila said that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has given Rs 24,000 crore to the state government for developmental purpose and it will receive more fillip in future under the Congress government in the state. Criticising those who are dividing people in the name of religion or region in the state, she expressed hope that such forces will be rejected by the people in the elections.
Azad
None can fight communalism, corruption like us
Congress never believed in communal, divisive and discriminatory politics, we have always rededicated ourselves to the public cause. One needs good policy, commitment and dedication to form a good government…and we have demonstrated our all these capabilities and we are poised to form the next government, said the Congress leader and former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad addressing a series of public meeting in various constituencies in Jammu and its outskirts. He claimed that there was no room for corruption, favouratism and communalism in his government. He emphasized that today it is not a question of religion or caste of the candidate but of a right candidate. He said that as committed in the party manifesto if he returns to power he would scrutinize sympathetically the demands of ex-service-men and fulfill them. And a special cell shall be created to monitor the implementation of various schemes and benefits to the ex-servicemen. And a special cell shall be created to monitor the implementation of various schemes and benefits to the ex-servicemen. He promised that he would regularize the services of all the Daily wagers of the state and will remove the disparity in the wages to labourers serving in various government departments. He said that he would evolve a mechanism to monitor reservation policy in government jobs provided for Scheduled castes and Scheduled Tribes and funds will be provided under various schemes. He said that the formation of 8 districts,3 sub-divisions,12 tehsils and 2 Niabats in the state by him was more than the recommendation of the Wazir Commission’s recommendation and which vindicates his commitment of equitable development in the state. He exhorted the people of Gandhi Nagar constituency to not to forget the construction of new hospital, Udyog Bhavan ,Divisional Commissioner’s office building,Flower Garden at Chatta and Veterinary Hospital/Hostel building in Gandhinagar constituency as his governments achievements in a short span.
Advani
Amaranth agitation awakened Jammu; it must empower now
“Amaranth land agitation was a blessing in disguise in the sense that it united the nationalist forces of Jammu. It was not a confrontation between Hindus and Muslims or Jammu and Kashmir but a decisive struggle of the nationalist forces against secessionist elements. People of Jammu will have to show the same unity and spirit in elections. People should vote for BJP to end 60 years of discrimination against Jammu region”, said BJP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister LK Advani while addressing public meetings in Jammu. Raking up the Amarnath land row during the rally, the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate said the agitation launched by people of Jammu for restoration of land to a Hindu temple trust was an “unparalleled mass movement witnessed by the country which was in a way manifestation of feeling of discrimination against Jammu”.
He said he “bows before the people of Jammu for launching such a massive struggle” for the restoration of land to Amarnath cave temple. Advani pointed out that the death sentence to Kashmiri militant Afzal Guru for his involvement in the Dec 13, 2001 attack on India’s parliament was not being executed, though the government was “not giving any reason for it”. “The government has a soft approach on terrorism,” he said, adding that “discrimination” against the people of Jammu was “strengthening hands of separatists”. He asked the people to vote for BJP candidates for “restoration of self-respect, dignity and honour of Jammu”. Advani said the central government’s soft approach towards terrorism and separatism was “no less a sin”.
State party Chief Ashok Khajuria said that the congress party and National conference and PDP were discriminating with the people of Jammu and not doing justice with them while in power. He sought peoples support to give BJP candidates one opportunity to serve people of Jammu and end this sixty year long discrimination. In his brief message Prof Chaman Lal Gupta and Prof Nirmal Singh urged voters in Jammu to give befitting reply to anti-Jammu parties and come out in large numbers to vote for BJP candidates. Sham Choudhary, Shilpi Verma , Shamsher Singh Manhas, Ramesh Arora were prominent among others present on the occasion.
Mufti
PDP sought one favour from Delhi –credible elections
“Unlike other parties, we never asked New Delhi for any favour except one which was rightfully due. We pushed with the then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vapjayee to do Jammu and Kashmir a ‘favour’ by holding free and fair elections. It was the fairness of 2002 elections which restored public faith in democracy and we strengthened that faith hence-after. The long queue of voters in 2008 elections was dividend of the fairness of 2002 elections and our party’s efforts of creating democratic space”, said the Peoples Democratic Party patron and former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed addressing public meeting in Nagrota constituency on outskirts of Jammu City. "Establishing sustainable peace and to consolidate reconciliation process is on the top of the party's agenda", he said and expressed satisfaction that during a short period of just three years, PDP, through its visionary policies, has established peace with dignity and honour.
Ridiculing National Conference for spreading wrong notions to mislead the masses, PDP patron said that the way people, braving hostile weather, coming out in large number to exercise their franchise, is an approval of the polices being adopted by the PDP. "Before 2002 assembly elections people didn't have faith in the electoral process", he said and reminded the gathering about his meeting with the then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, who had later made historical announcement from the Red Fort on August 15, 2001 to conduct free and fair elections in Jammu and Kashmir. Without naming any political party, Sayeed said, "unlike other political parties we had not demanded any favour from Vajpayee at that time. We had rather suggested him to conduct free and fair elections to revive people's faith in democracy", he recalled and added that defeat of Omar Abdullah in 2002 assembly elections from Ganderbal, which was earlier considered as citadel of NC, was turning point in the democratic history of Jammu and Kashmir as this defeat has revived peoples' faith in electoral process.
"Gone are days when rulers in Delhi used to take decision about fate of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, he said adding that after 2002 election it has become clear that only the people of Jammu and Kashmir could decide about their representatives", and cautioned the people against deceitful tactics of NC.
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