BJP finalizes strategy, ex-NC minister Slathia to lead party in House
Arvind Sharma
Jammu Tawi, Mar 22: The estranged coalition partners in the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), the National Conference (NC) and the Congress, are still poles apart ahead of the 2nd half of the Assembly session, while the main opposition party, the BJP, has finalized its strategy for grilling the government on various fronts involving public issues.
The nine day 2nd half of the J&K Assembly is scheduled to begin from 27th of this month and will culminate of 4th of April next month.
A meeting of the BJP MLAs was held today afternoon at Party’s Trikuta Nagar head office, Jammu. It was chaired by the J&K BJP President, Sat Sharma. The Leader of Opposition (LoP), Sunil Sharma is busy in Assam Assembly elections.
In his (Sunil Sharma) absence, the BJP MLAs in the meeting today were represented by Surjit Singh Slathia in the meeting. This was a clear message that Slathia will play the role of LoP as Sunil Sharma would hardly be able to participate in the House Proceedings.
Sunil Sharma has been appointed as co-incharge of Assam Assembly elections by the BJP high command which means that he will most likely not be available for participation in the 2nd half of the J&K Assembly beginning from 27th of this month.
The BJP, as a tactical move, has decided that Surjeet Singh Slathia, will play the role of LoP in the Assembly in the absence of Sunil Sharma.
Slathia had been in the NC government as a minister and therefore, he knows all the week points and compulsions of this ruling party, sources said, while adding, “the decision for Slathia has been taken to counter the NC government and its policies”.
The BJP today finalized its strategy to grill the NC government on various public issues like regularization of daily wagers, uninterrupted power supply, shortage of LPG cylinders, lack of development works shortage of water, besides other issues.
So far we have not been contacted by the NC regarding the upcoming 2nd half of the Assembly session, the JKPCC Chief Spokesperson, Ravinder Sharma said.
“If the invitation comes from the NC for the coalition meeting, we will take the call whether to participate or not,” Sharma told the Nortlines.
On February 2nd, just before the start of first half of the J&K Assembly’s budget session, the NC invited its coalition partner Cong MLAs for a coordination meeting at Chief Minister’s residence at Jammu but the Cong sent only Nizamuddin Bhat for the meeting to send a clear message that it is not happy with the conduct of NC.
The differences between NC-Cong came to fore after the NC denied the Cong the seat of its choosing in the Rajya Sabha elections. Apart from this the Cong, the coalition partner of NC has so far not joined the government in J&K as a mark of protest.
