Predicting imminent trifurcation of Peoples Democratic Party ahead of 2014 elections, Provincial President National Conference Mr Devender Singh Rana on Tuesday said that six to seven of its legislators are going to quit soon thus completing the second phase of its dismemberment.“The first phase took place ahead of expectations when prominent PDP leaders deserted the party because of their disenchantment with deceptive and opportunistic policies of the party leadership while the process of its annihilation began with Muftis overtures towards fascist BJP for lust of power”, said Mr Rana while replying to questions after joining of prominent BJP leaders in National Conference at Sher-e-Kashmir Bhavan here this morning.
Rana and Minister of State for Animal and Sheep Husbandary Mr Nazir Ahmed Khan Gurezi welcomed Mr R. S Jasrotia, a fomer President of the State BJP Labour Cell, Mr Vikas Sethi and others in the party fold and hoped that this will further strengthen the party to meet the genuine aspirations of the people. Mr Rana said that several other BJP leaders were slated to join National Conference in near future.
Mr Jasrotia said that he took the decision of joining NC cadre because of the party’s commitment to secularism and democractic principles. He said that after perusing the policies and programmes of the National Conference, he and his collegues thought it appropriate to come into the party fold and strength its cadre at the grass roots level.Apart from being the former President of the BJP’s Labour Wing, Mr Jasrotia was currently office secretary at the BJP headquarters. He is a close relative of senior BJP leader and former Himachal Pradesh R&B Minister Thakur Gulab Singh.The senior National Conference leaders profusely garlanded the new entrants.
The Provincial President, along with Mr Nazir Ahmed Gurezi, said that while PDP is at the brink of annihilation, the Bharatiya Janata Party is poised to face big public rejection for riding the demon of communalism.Mr Rana dwelt on the PDP-BJP bonhomie, saying: “There was never any dobubt about the clandestine undertstanidng between the two but the relationship became public after the former plunged into openly hobnobbing with the latter following a big snub by Congress for entering into an alliance”.To a question on impending action against the tainted officers involved in paper leak scam, Mr Rana said that the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is on record having asserted that the guilty would meet justice soon and get exemplary punishment. He, however, said that PDP has no moral authority to give sermons on corruption, as it has become a hub of the corrupt and dishonest retired officials, who have vigilance cases pending against them. He said the party had lately started inducting even criminals into its fold.
Replying to another question on Narendra Modi’s Lalkaar Rally in the temple city, the Provincial President said that democracy is all about disseminating ideas. “To that extent everybody is within his democratic rights to reach out to the people but as far as Jammu and Kashmir is concerned, the BJP has never been a factor and will never be so in future as well”, he said and recalled the vicious role the party played in the company of PDP during 2008 Amarnath land row agitation. He said the PDP is yet to clear the mist over the mystery revolving round its leaders meeting a senior BJP leader in Delhi ahead of the unfortunate agitation that had almost brought the people of Kashmir and Jammu regions eyeball to eyeball situation.
Mr Rana reiterated his queries to PDP on the presence of its two senior leaders in New Delhi recently, their overtures to BJP by utilizing the good offices of a former IB Diretor, a woman NGO and a senior journalist, having direct access to BJP high command, saying the Muftis owe explanation to the people whom they hoodwink day in and day out. He said that the PDP leadership is suffering from abject dejection and in fit of frustration they are indulging in NC bashing.The Provincial President envisioned a big role for National Conference in the ensuing elections, saying a wave across the state was discernible. “We had been a premier party of the state, continue to be so and will emerge as a force to reckon with next year as well”, he said and spelled out the party’s performance in 2008 elections in the Jammu region despite negative propaganda by the communal and regional forces. He said National Conference won six seats and finished close second in nine constituencies.
In 2014, Jammu will witness total rout of PDP and BJP while the National Conference will register a big win in all the three regions, as the party reflects the urges and aspirations of every segment of society, irrespective of region and religion.Minister of State Mr Nazir Gurezi said that the developmental plank set in motion by the Chief Minister has induced confidence among the people that National Conference alone can satiate their urges and aspirations. He said the report card of Omar Abdullah government speaks in itself the desire of the government to ensure inclusive and all round development of the three regions and their sub regions.Mr Gurezi described National Conference as a movement that has espoused the cause of peasants, workers and under-privileged segments of society and worked for their empowerment and welfare.The Minister also dwelt on strides made in the priority sectors of health, education, power, drinking water during the past nearly five years and said that the government is endeavouring to achieve the goal of prosperous and peaceful Jammu and Kashmir.