SAMBA: Former Minister and Congress candidate from Jammu Lok Sabha seat, Raman Bhalla has said that people of Jammu and Kashmir are desperate to root-out BJP from this erstwhile State. Asserting that the people desperately waited elections for the first time in the history of Jammu and Kashmir, JKPCC working president said that Jammu has major role to play in upcoming elections by isolating the divisive forces that are bent upon destroying peaceful atmosphere here. Addressing series of elections meetings in Samba district at Nud, Jatwal, Ghagwal, Rajpura, Vijaypur, Bhalla claimed that Congress is committed to strive for the political and economic empowerment of J&K people promising not to leave any stone unturned to ensure peace, prosperity, and development of Jammu and Kashmir, and the economic and political empowerment of its people. Bhalla said political alienation of the people is widely being felt that is why there is desperation for elections for the first time unlike the past. He said BJP has betrayed the people of Jammu even after ruling Jammu and Kashmir indirectly through Lt Governor and Advisors from Delhi. “They came to power by turning Jammu against Kashmir for political gains but later they betrayed the trust of the Jammuites who gave them 25 Assembly seats in erstwhile State of J&K. Within 24 hours, they joined hands with party against whom they spitted venom during elections and formed a coalition Govt bringing miseries for the people of both the Regions,” he said adding that every section of society ready to teach BJP lesson for life and also to express their desperation using the power of ballot. Bhalla further said that “BJP do not respect the sentiments of the people. They want power and to serve their political purpose. He said the historic Dogra State was downgraded into two Union Territories for the political interest after snatching all the basic rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. As the Govt of India and bureaucracy are enjoying the power, they do not want Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir which is being demanded by the people of the erstwhile State from both the Regions. He said that the BJP has allowed the non-locals to extract natural resources and sell them at higher rates due to which the construction cost has increased. This emerging situation has snatched the source of employment for hundreds of local people across Jammu and Kashmir and made them helpless. Prominent among those who accompanied Bhalla include Neeraj Kundan, Rajnish Sharma, Yashpal Kundal, Sanjeev Sharma, Devi Dass, Gurbancna Kumari, Subash Bhagat, Vijay Tagotra, Dewarka Choudhary and others.
