New Delhi: Ahead of the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to hold a rally in the state on Saturday. Pressure is mounting on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the PM to reveal its stand on the controversial Article 370 in the state. during his rally in Kishtwar, all eyes will be on Modi to see whether the PM spills out the beans on the party's stand on the issue which has become a centre point this election season.
The Bharatiya Janata Party has seemingly eased its stand on scrapping Article 370 as elections draw near in Jammu and Kashmir - avoiding direct answers to whether it supports the repeal of the controversial act.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who was recently on a campaign trail in support of his party candidates Sunil Sharma in Kishtwar Assembly seat and Daleep Kumar in Bhaderwah, asked political parties not to rake it up during Assembly elections for vote bank politics.
"It (Article 370) is a national issue. It is a matter of debate. BJP's stand on it is clear. There is no need to rake up this issue during Assembly polls," Singh said.
Article 370 is a delicate issue in the valley. BJP candidate Heena Shafi Bhat once said she will pick up a gun if her party ever scraps 370 - but is now singing a different tune.
Modi will address at least seven rallies in the state, holding at least a rally or two ahead of each of the five phases of the polls in the state.
According to BJP sources, Modi will address another rally next week in Udhampur in Jammu region and later a rally in Kashmir valley too.
Sources said the BJP is banking heavily on aggressive campaigning by Modi in its bid to achieve its ambitious "Mission 44+" target required in an Assembly of 87 seats.
The party is targeting the educated class in the state to send home the message that development is key to the state's progress and the government of the same party at the Centre and the state would help achieve this easily.
To woo the intellectual-class in the state, the sources said Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and other noted lawyers will also campaign and hold public meetings.
Buoyed with the party's recent successes in Haryana and Maharashtra, the BJP is optimistic of performing well in the Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir and Jharkhand, both of which will have five-phased polling from November 25.
The BJP has also chalked out a strategy for Jammu and Kashmir and is working in close coordination with smaller parties as well as moderate separatists in the valley to achieve its target of forming a government of its own and has had talks with some of them.
The Assembly polls in the state will start from November 25 and end on December 20. The results will be out on December 23.
(With inputs from PTI)
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