Today in Politics: All eyes on PM Modi’s Kashmir rally, first since Article 370 abrogation; BJP-BJD tie-up set to be sealed

During his Kashmir visit, the PM’s development pitch will continue, with the unveiling of multiple development projects, this time worth more than Rs 6,400 crore. These are part of the “Viksit Bharat Viksit Jammu Kashmir” programme being held at Bakshi Stadium in Srinagar.

The PM will launch projects for the tourism sector under the “Swadesh Darshan” and “PRASHAD” (Pilgrimage Rejuvenation And Spiritual, Heritage Augmentation Drive) schemes. This also includes a project for the integrated development of the Hazratbal shrine in Srinagar.

Modi will also distribute appointment letters to nearly 1,000 newly-recruited government employees in J&K and also interact with the beneficiaries of various central schemes, including women achievers, farmers and entrepreneurs.

He will then address a public rally at Bakshi Stadium, which will be tracked closely for its messaging.

Parties in the Valley have been urging the government to hold simultaneous Assembly elections — J&K has not had an elected government since 2018 —- with the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. While ruling in favour of abrogation of Article 370 in December 2023, the Supreme Court had also underlined the need to hold Assembly elections in J&K before September 30, 2024.

Many will observe the signals that the PM will send to the people and leaders of the Valley. Since Article 370 was abrogated, there has only been one meeting between the Centre and leaders of Kashmir, in June 2021. At the time, Modi had emphasised that he wanted to reduce “Dilli ki doori (the distance from Delhi)” as well as “dil ki doori (distance from the heart)” while assuring the leaders that his government was committed to reviving the democratic process.

The BJP never had any strong base in Kashmir, but this time it hopes to win the Anantnag seat. It is placing its hopes on the changing political equations in the seat in the wake of the 2022 delimitation exercise with the addition of Poonch and Rajouri areas to the constituency. These two areas have considerable Gujjar-Bakerwal, Pahari Muslim and Hindu voters, a sizeable number of whom are BJP supporters.

Meanwhile, the Opposition INDIA alliance is in disarray in J&K too. The National Conference (NC) has decided to contest all the three Lok Sabha seats in the Valley, signalling the failure of talks with its alliance partners, the Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The announcement also puts a big question mark over the Peoples Alliance for the Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), an alliance of political parties in the Valley that was formed in 2020 to fight for the restoration of J&K’s special status.

BJP-BJD alliance

After signs of a tie-up for weeks, decks have been cleared for former allies BJP and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) to renew their alliance in Odisha for the simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly polls. Its official announcement may be made by the leadership of both the parties on Thursday, which will mark exactly 15 years since BJD supremo and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik broke off a decade-long alliance with the BJP on March 7, 2009.

CM Patnaik held discussions with senior BJD leaders at his residence in Bhubaneswar Wednesday evening to discuss various aspects of the realliance. The BJP leadership also held a meeting with party leaders from Odisha in New Delhi over the proposed tie-up.

Insiders in both the BJP and the BJD said seat-sharing has also been finalised between them. Sources said the BJP is likely to fight more seats in the Lok Sabha while in the Assembly polls, the BJD would fight over 100 of the total 147 seats.

Congress poll panel meeting

The All India Congress Committee (AICC)’s Central Election Committee (CEC) will hold its first meeting in Delhi on Thursday to start finalising the party’s candidates for the Lok Sabha elections.

The meeting comes amidst buzz of Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra being fielded from the Gandhi family bastion of Raebareli in Uttar Pradesh with Rahul Gandhi likely to contest from neighbouring Amethi besides his current constituency Wayanad in Kerala.

“The first meeting of the Congress’ Central Election Committee (CEC) that considers and decides on candidates for Lok Sabha polls is being held at 6 pm on March 7th,” AICC general secretary, communications, Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

All the top leaders of the party, including AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and former party chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul, will be present at the CEC meeting.

The Congress has not declared any candidate so far. The ruling BJP released its first list of 195 candidates on March 2.

Rahul Yatra in Gujarat

Rahul’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra is set to enter Gujarat’s Dahod district on Thursday at a time the Congress has been facing multiple setbacks in the state.

Former Gujarat Congress chief Arjun Modhwadia and the state party unit’s ex-working president Ambarish Der joined the BJP on Tuesday. A day later, party MLA Arvind Ladani resigned, saying he would be joining the BJP too.

Kejriwal vs ED

Meanwhile, the tussle between the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal continues.

The ED has filed a fresh complaint before a Delhi court seeking prosecution of Kejriwal for skipping multiple summonses issued to him for questioning in the Delhi excise policy “scam” case. The court has listed the matter for hearing on Thursday.

— With PTI inputs