Shadow Correspondent
Jammu, Oct 01
Bharatiya Janata Party, Jammu & Kashmir has attacked the Congress for its failure to field candidates for the ongoing Urban Local Bodies (ULB) elections and instead spinning excuses to hide its inability to rejuvenate its cadre and motivate them to join the electoral fray.
Brig Anil Gupta, State Spokesperson, while briefing the media persons informed that BJP so far has won more than 50 seats uncontested in Kashmir. While complimenting the party’s candidates for displaying utmost respect for democracy and peoples’ sentiments by braving all odds to file their nominations, Brig Gupta at the same time castigated Congress for being unable to keep up to its lofty claims of a party that has a base in all three regions of the state.
The mere fact that the party is unable to field candidates shows that the party has been completely decimated at the grassroots level and lacks organisational strength. Congress today is a party of “leaders only” and has no mass base and cadre strength, asserted Brig Gupta. Balbir Ram Rattan, State Spokesperson was also present during the press conference.
The situation is no better in the Jammu region. At number of places the party has failed to field even a single candidate and plans to piggyback on independent or rebel candidates. The reality is that individuals offered party’s mandate are declining to accept it as they realise that contesting on Congress party’s symbol means a certain defeat. Congress’s desperate attempt to win over the electorate by launching anti-BJP propaganda has failed miserably because the patriotic people of the region are determined to teach Congress a lesson for pro-Pak utterances of its senior leaders claimed Brig Gupta.
Reacting to the statement of Chief Spokesperson of Congress that it is part of Congress party’s strategy to not to field their own candidates but support independents in order to defeat the BJP candidates, Brig Gupta said that it is nothing but a desperate attempt to escape from reality. Challenging the Congress, Brig Gupta said, “It is not a proxy contest. It is a direct fight. If the Congress is sure of its strength it must enter the electoral battle directly and field its own candidates.”
