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National interest supreme, not power: Shah
KT NEWS SERVICE. Dated: 4/30/2017 1:14:00 PM
‘Stay focused to achieve Mission 44 plus’
JAMMU, Apr 29: Reiterating party’s `Mission 44 plus’, the BJP national president Amit Shah Saturday hinted that the party would not mind sacrificing power in J&K if ‘the national interest warranted it as for it (BJP) country was above all.”
Shah, who reached here today on his much–hyped 2-day visit to the winter capital, reportedly dropped clear hints during closed-door deliberations with the party ministers, MPs, legislators, VCs of Boards/Corporations, state team members, Morcha presidents, Cell conveners, district presidents and general secretaries, senior leaders, CEC, LAHDC, Leh and his councillors.
He stated that the party as well as the central leadership was fully seized of Kashmir situation which, for sure, was worrying. “For the party, our nation is supreme. Power can be sacrificed in the national interest. Kashmir is a priority for us. The situation is worrying there. The Centre is closely monitoring the situation there and taking all possible and desired steps to deescalate the situation. However, what steps are being taken, I cannot disclose them here,” Shah said addressing the concerns of party leaders on Kashmir situation,” the sources privy to meetings and deliberations stated.
As some of the office bearers from Kashmir expressed concern on the prevailing Kashmir situation, Shah reportedly said, “The party and the government is solidly behind the security forces and no attempt to demoralise them will be tolerated.”
“He reiterated that Kashmir is an integral part of the country and the party is with the people of Kashmir. The party president also said that BJP-PDP government was focusing on the development of all the three regions of the state, while Centre was aware of the Kashmir tension and framed strategy to deal with it,” sources further said.
As per sources, Shah held deliberations with the party cadre, the ministers, MLAs, district presidents, office bearers on a varied range of issues. He also issued certain guidelines and discussed how the party organisation would be strengthened.
Chairing the meeting of BJP leaders, Shah reiterated the party’s Mission 44 plus and asked everybody to work towards the achievement of the same. He also asked the party men to stay focused and achieve the Mission, whenever the next Assembly elections take place in Jammu and Kashmir.
He asked everybody to work towards the achievement of same. “Work hard to win Jammu’s all seats plus 4 seats of Ladakh next time. Focus your attention on Kashmir also, if you manage to win even three or four seats from Kashmir, that will be a bonus for the party,” Shah reportedly told party leaders,
BJP national president also had a word of caution for the ministers as he said, “Be in touch with the party cadre and perform and deliver.” He asked the office bearers and party cadre not to “act as opposition by spilling the beans.” “Highlight the party achievements and be a positive catalyst,” he told them.
Shah today, during his first leg of two-day Jammu visit, held deliberations with the state leadership and got feedback on the prevailing political scenario. He also gave them the tips on further strengthening the organisation.
Later in the day, during his meeting with the members of civil society he stated that the BJP was a party with ideology unlike Congress which belieede in “Parivarvaad.”
“None can tell who will be the BJP president after me. Anyone from the party cadre can be a president but everyone knows who will take over the reins of Congress or Samajwadi Party after Sonia Gandhi or Mulayam Singh respectively. Contrary to these parties, BJP has internal democracy,” Shah reportedly told the civil society members while interacting with them.
National general secretary Ram Madhav and MP Avinash Rai Khanna also accompanied the party president.
Shah, who arrived here this morning, was given rousing welcome by the BJP leaders as he reached here. The Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) activists took out a bike rally and escorted the cavalcade of the national leader.
Shah’s visit assumes significance in view of the deteriorating security condition in the state and tension between coalition partners--the BJP and the PDP--following certain remarks made by some BJP leaders and a minister followed by the meetings between Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to de-escalate the situation.
Earlier in the day, the BJP office in a tweet said that Shah today began the 95-day long country-wide visit from Jammu and Kashmir.
The main aim of the visit was to strengthen the party at the booth-level and to spread and reach out to the last man in the last row with the prime minister's pro-poor schemes, it said.
The BJP national president will inaugurate Nanaji Deshmukh Library and e-Library tomorrow, followed by release of a book at the party headquarters in Trikuta Nagar at 11.00 AM. Shah joined by other dignitaries will also relish Dogri cuisines at the residence of the Union Minister of State in PMO Dr Jitendra Singh, who is hosting lunch for them.
At the same venue, Shah will chair a meeting of the heads of department, he said.
The BJP national president will also hold separate meetings on Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya birth centenary Karya Vistar Yojana, Aajeevan Sehyog Needhi and Finance, IT, Social Media and Election Management.
Prior to it, he will hold deliberations with RSS functionaries in Vir Bhawan at 8.00 AM.
Earlier on his maiden visit to the city of temples, BJP national president for interaction with party workers and civil society of the state, was accorded rousing welcome this morning. At the airport he was received by Sat Sharma, BJP state president and MLA, Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh, state cabinet ministers, MPs, MLAs and MLCs and was taken to the State Guest House in the form of a procession of scooter/bike and entire route was thronged by welcoming people from all walks of life.
Besides Madhav, Shah was accompanied Dr Anil Jain, national general secretary; Ram Lal, national general secretary (Organisation); Arvind Menon, secretary (organisation); Amit Malviya, national incharge, IT cell.
On arrival at the State Guest House, he was received by national vice president and state Prabhari Avinash Rai Khanna; state general secretary (Organisation) Ashok Kaul, state general secretaries Dr Narinder Singh and Harinder Gupta.
Immediately after arrival Shah held an interaction with party ministers, MPs, legislators, VCs of Boards/Corporations, state team members, Morcha presidents, Cell conveners, district presidents and general secretaries, senior leaders, CEC, LAHDC, Leh and his councillors were also present.
Shah in his address exhorted the gathering to develop a positive outlook so that they could carry a positive message to the karyakartas and general public. He said, “It is the collective responsibility of all present to ensure that there is no looking back from here and we should we only aim to achieve higher goals.” He expressed his happiness at being able to interact with them and appreciated the karyakartas for their struggle and sacrifices in the past which, he said, contributed immensely towards the growth of the party.
He paid homage to Dr Shyam Prasad Mookerjee and Pandit Prem Nath Dogra.
Shah said that he was proud to be the national president at a time when the party was expanding by leaps and bounds. Recounting electoral successes he said the party was proud to have 1397 MLAs, 310 MPs, 13 BJP ruled states and 4 coalition governments in state.
Recalling 2014 massive victory Shah said that it was for the first time since independence that a non-Congress political party secured absolute majority in the Lok Sabha. He also praised the three-year achievements of Modi government and said that the government lived up to the expectations of the people and was committed to fulfill the promises made to them.
In his welcome address Sat Sharma thanked Amit Shah for choosing J&K as the first destination of his 95 day nation-wide ‘Pravas’ to interact with party workers. He also complimented the national president for his leadership under which Bharatiya Janata Party became the largest political party in the world with a membership of 11 crore and ruling party in 17 states of the country. He assured him that the state unit would work 24x7 to realise the “New India” dream of the Prime Minister and other goals set by the central leadership.
Ram Lal briefed about the purpose and conduct of the nation-wide ‘Pravas’ of the national president. He also informed that as part of Deendayal Vistarak Yojna, the national president would also visit 15 booths in 5 states over a period of 15 days.
In the evening an interaction with the prominent citizens of Jammu was held at the Jammu Convention Centre.
The event was organised by Pt Deendyal Upadhyaya Shatabadi Samaroh Samiti and was addressed by Dr Nirmal Singh, Dr Jitendra Singh and Amit Shah. About 600-700 prominent citizens representing different walks of life attended the meeting.
Later Shah interacted individually with different groups over a cup of tea.
Addressing the prominent citizens, he said that BJP was one amongst 1650 parties in the country which had come to the present centre stage of the national politics by the hard work of its workers. He said that the key to the steady growth and progress of the party in every nook of the country was because it was ideology based party.