National Conference provincial president Devender Singh Rana on Friday advised Jammu and Kashmir unit of BhartiyaJanata Party (BJP) to stop selling the dreams of BJP chief minister to people of Jammu as he claimed that the party leaders have already sold the 25-member mandate of the people for remaining in the cradle of power as “non-entities”.
“Those who could not bargain with the PDP the rotational chief ministership despite huge mandate are now talking about BJP CM from Jammu”, Rana said while addressing a daylong convention of National Conference women wing at Sher-e-Kashmir Bhavan here, presided over by State president ShamimaFirdous and organised by provincial women wing president, Satwant Kaur Dogra.
Rana said that BJP’s greed for power witnessed all-time low in parliamentary democracy last year when it started hobnobbing with a two-member north Kashmir based political party to form the government.
It was almost a shocker for Jammu to see the BJP with 25 MLAs begging to two-member Peoples Conference to form the government by relinquishing the claim of the chief ministership. He blamed the BJP for undermining Jammu pride just to enjoy the loaves of power.
“The BJP’s Jammu chief minister rant is an insult to the people’s sense of political understanding and perhaps a big political joke”, the provincial president said while taking the party head on for generating passions and exploiting emotions.
He asked the BJP to read writing on the wall and stop nurturing inflated ambitions. The BJP, he said, has lost its face as also credibility in Jammu, which had provided the party a huge space in the mistaken belief of deliverance.
Addressing the convention, State president women wing, ShamimaFirdous hailed the announcement made by the party president Dr Farooq Abdullah about 33 per cent reservation for women in the Legislative Assembly, if National Conference is voted to power with absolute majority.
“This will be yet another initiative towards women empowerment”, Shamima said, adding that National Conference has already empowered women by granting 33 per cent reservation in grass roots level democratic institutions and 50 per cent reservation in the medical colleges.
Shamima said that political empowerment and economic emancipation of women is imperative for harmonious growth of the society.
The women, she said, have greatly contributed in various fields, be it administration, academics or health care. “Given opportunity, women have proven to be second to none”, she said, adding that National Conference has pioneered various measures for the upliftment of this important segment of society over the years.
Shamima exuded confidence about massive victory for National Conference, saying the people have realized that this is the only party that can steer out the state from the morass.
State vice-president, BimlaLuthra exhorted women to play their designated role in the decision making and development of the State.
Provincial president women wing, Satwant Kaur Dogra highlighted the challenges confronted to the State, and said National Conference6 is well poised to surmount all these challenges with courage and fortitude.