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Disquiet in J&K BJP, local leaders meet at Srinagar hotel
BJP vice president and former legislator Sufi Yusuf, who was part of the meeting, said that around 110 leaders and workers attended the meeting
Rumblings in the Bharatiya Janata Party’s leadership in Kashmir came to fore when dozens of leaders met in a Srinagar hotel on Wednesday to show their annoyance with the top leadership.
As per sources, the leaders have decided to meet BJP national president JP Nadda as they blame the Jammu and Kashmir leadership for ignoring their services towards the party.
The leaders, who attended the meeting, include office bearers, sarpanches, block development council members and district presidents. They refused to meet BJP J&K president Ravinder Raina, who arrived in Srinagar to iron out differences within the party.
BJP vice president and former legislator Sufi Yusuf, who was part of the meeting, said that around 110 leaders and workers attended the meeting.
“We discussed our issues with the party leadership. The leaders and workers have decided to meet the BJP president JP Nadda, instead of local leaders. In the past, meeting with local leaders were unsuccessful,” he said. Sources say that a section of leaders and workers has threatened of mass resignation if their demands are not met.
Senior BJP leader and former legislator Surinder Ambardar said that issue will be resolved.
“Everybody is in part of the BJP and if there are issues party will resolve them,” he said.
“There is a dead wood within the party and when party leadership had sought answers for them on various issues, they are trying to blackmail the party. We will be more than happy if dead wood leaves the party,” another BJP leader who was not in the meeting said, adding that nobody has resigned so far.
“It is true there was a meeting of some of our workers and leaders without taking party leadership into confidence,” he further added.
J&K state spokesperson Altaf Thakur, who attended the meeting, did not respond to calls.
As per sources, a majority of Kashmir-based leaders are annoyed with top leadership, especially the state leadership for not entertaining them.
“We have sacrificed a lot. When nobody dared to join the party, we contested elections on the BJP symbol. Now leaders from outside are dictating terms and it is unacceptable to us,” said another leader.
