Jammu, May 7: With the state unit of Bharatiya Janata Party struggling to recover from cross-voting shock, the ruling coalition partner, Congress is desperate to make optimum benefit out of the prevailing situation as it has already intensified its campaign for holding urban local bodies’ elections forthwith.
 Sources said that the Congress has started pressurizing the state government to announce municipal elections as it is the high time to register “big victory” in these elections and completely whip out the BJP from Jammu city which is considered to be bastion of saffron party.
 “The Coordination Committee headed by Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) chief Saif-ud-Din Soz had agreed to hold urban local bodies’ polls after the Panchayat elections but the Congress leaders have now started a campaign suggesting the party high command to take maximum benefit against the backdrop of the cross-voting fiasco, which has demoralized the BJP unit,” sources added.
 They maintained that the Congress leaders have also taken up the matter at the “right quarters” and are hopeful that the government would make a formal announcement for holding civic bodies’ elections, keeping in view the “prevailing and conducive” circumstances.
 The 71-member JMC house had 27 councillors of the Congress, 25 of the BJP, six of the National Conference, nine independents, two of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and one each from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and the Shiv Sena during its last term that ended on February 28, 2010. The government had postponed the elections without citing any reason. The last JMC elections were held in 2005 after a gap of 26 years.
 “Congress party has already geared up its cadre for civic bodies’ polls as its leadership has assured the workers that they would convince the government to announce elections without any delay,” sources added.
 When contacted, Congress spokesperson Ravinder Sharma remarked, “It is not the matter of political opportunism but we, otherwise, are in favour of holding urban local bodies’ election as soon as possible. We are always in favour of revival of these institutions.”
 “There was a broad consensus among the members of the Coordination Committee that urban local bodies’ elections should be held after the Panchayat elections. Apart from the political aspects, the government also takes into account other aspects before holding these elections,” he maintained.
 Senior National Conference leader and MLA Ajay Sadhotra said that the municipal elections are expected in October and the alliance government headed by the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is committed to strengthen these institutions at grass root level.
 “Panchayat elections response is quite encouraging and we are hopeful that municipal elections will also be held on the same pattern.
 “The cross voting was internal matter of the BJP and National Conference is least bothered what this party or that party does. We always proved that people are with the National Conference and I don’t think that the issue of one or other party decides the outcome of these elections because you have to be with the people if you want to perform well in these elections,” he maintained.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 7 May 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 7 May 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 8 May 2011 00:00:00 IST