Rift widens between PDP, BJP? Amit Shah summons party MLAs from J&K to Delhi

The BJP chief is expected to discuss the current political situation in J&K with party legislators from the state.

JAMMU: BJP president Amit Shah is expected to meet party legislators from Jammu and Kashmir and state unit leaders at the party headquarters in Delhi on Tuesday.

As per reports, the BJP chief will discuss the current political and security situation in the state, especially after the Centre revoked the month-long suspension of a ceasefire in the state, during today's meeting.

BJP state chief Ravinder Raina and general secretary (organisation) Asho Kaul have also been called for the meeting.

"All the BJP ministers have been called to New Delhi for a meeting on Tuesday," a senior BJP leader from Jammu and Kashmir BJP had said earlier.

The call for today's meeting comes days after Centre revoked the month-long ceasefire against terror groups active in Jammu and Kashmir.

The meeting also assumes significance in the wake of reports that all is not well between the PDP and the BJP - the two partners in the coalition government in J&K. The Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP is reportedly unhappy with the Centre's decision to revoke the month-long suspension of the ceasefire which was in force during the holy month of Ramzan.

The decision was taken in the wake of sensational killing of 'The Rising Kashmir' editor Shujaat Bukhari and Army rifleman Aurangzeb by Pakistan-backed terrorists.  

Interestingly, Amit Shah is also scheduled to visit Jammu on a two-day visit beginning June 23.

Some BJP legislators claimed that they had been summoned to Delhi to review the functioning of the state coalition government, as also the performance of their respective ministries. 

However, the insiders said the situation in the state post-resumption of ‘Operation All Out’ was on the top of the agenda.

The BJP ministers have been summoned by the party high command within less than two months since the last reshuffle in the BJP’s ministers. 

The party had effected major reshuffle of its ministers in April last in the wake of reports that “resentment” was brewing in Jammu region, its main bastion, against the functioning of some of its ministers.

The reshuffle was also seen as a “course correction” before the 2019 parliamentary elections.  

Sources said the high command was “not much satisfied” with the functioning of some of its ministers. 

“The party wants best results and better delivery on the ground. It wants to win the people’s confidence and doesn’t want to take any chance before the 2019 parliamentary elections,” party sources informed.    

Deputy Chief Minister Kavinder Gupta said the call, which had come separately to all BJP ministers from Delhi, had been “all of a sudden”. 

“The working and performance of the ministers is likely to be reviewed by the national president,” he added. All the ministers have been told to report to Delhi on Tuesday, he said.

Meanwhile, Amit Shah is set to visit Jammu coming weekend for two days to discuss and formulate a strategy for 2019 parliamentary elections for the state. 

Shah will have a packed schedule in the city, where the BJP’s influence is centered, separately meeting with party lawmakers, ministers, the state election management committee and senior party leaders apart from RSS functionaries. 

The saffron party’s state spokesperson, Arun Gupta said that the main motive of Shah’s visit is to discuss the 2019 parliamentary elections. Shah will be accompanied by party national general secretary (organization) Ram Lal, and head of Dr Shyama Parsad Mukherjee Research Foundation, Anirbhan Ganguly.  

The all-powerful president of BJP, Shah will also attend a function organised by Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Foundation to observe the right-wing ideologue’s death anniversary and pay him tributes. 

One of the important meetings Shah is scheduled to hold during the visit, beginning June 23, is with the top brass of the state unit of RSS to take feedback regarding organisational matters, sources in the state BJP unit said.