Amit Shah to arrive on his maiden trip to Kashmir

SRINAGAR — Union Home Minister Amit Shah is all set to make his maiden visit to Jammu and Kashmir on June 30—first to have the glimpse of holy Shiv Lingum at the cave-shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir’s mountain range and later meet the Bhartiya Janata Party workers to raise their morale.

Meanwhile, the BJP in its working committee meeting in Jammu decided to add 20 percent more members to its existing nine lakh members across the three regions of the State, top sources in BJP said.

They said that Shah will arrive on June 30 in Kashmir, a day before the official commencement of the annual pilgrimage of Amarnath.

“He will first visit the cave-shrine of Amarnath in Anantnag district and have the glimpse of holy Lingum and later meet the BJP leaders of the State possibly in Srinagar where he is likely to pass certain directions to party men,” BJP state spokesman Altaf Thakur said.

This will be the first visit of Shah as the home minister. “Though it is not clear whether he will meet BJP leaders, but an informal meeting of Shah with some top BJP leaders is expected soon after he will complete darshan at the cave-shrine,” a BJP leader said.

Meanwhile, a significant meeting of BJP’s office bearers was held in Jammu that was chaired by party’s J&K president Ravinder Raina while as the meet was co-chaired by party’s general secretary (organization) Ashok Koul.

“It was decided that the membership drive will be launched in all three regions of the State from June 25 that will conclude on August 20. At present, party has nine lakh members—4.5 lakh in Jammu, 3.5 in Kashmir and almost one lakh in Ladakh region,” said BJP’s State spokesman Altaf Thakur.

He said that it was decided that 20 percent more members will be added in the fresh membership drive while as top leaders will reach out to people of each and every village of Jammu and Kashmir to explain BJP’s agenda of “Sab Ka Saath, Sak Ka Vikas” to people.

“Our agenda is to see Lotus bloom in the upcoming Assembly elections in all three regions of the State,” he said.

Interestingly, in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections, BJP swept both seats in Jammu and also that of Ladakh while as in Kashmir National Conference did a clean sweep by bagging all three seats.

Sources in the BJP said that party will work hard to get majority of seats in the upcoming Assembly polls scheduled later this year and massive people to people contact will be launched across the State in the days ahead.