J&K BJP announces panel for panchayat, civic body elections

JAMMU: The Jammu and Kashmir unit of the BJP on Saturday said that it has formed an eight-member committee for the upcoming panchayat and municipal elections in the state.

The committee was formed at a meeting chaired by the Bharatiya Janata Party’s national vice-president and in-charge of the party in Jammu and Kashmir, Avinash Rai Khanna, a spokesperson said.

He said the members of the panel include MPS Jugal Kishore Sharma, Shamsher Singh Manhas and Thupstan Chhewang, party’s state vice-president Yudhvir Sethi, general secretary Pawan Khajuria, MLA Shakti Raj Parihar and MLC Vibhodh Gupta.

“Municipality elections form the very basic structure of democracy at the ground level. Elections to urban local bodies will boost the democratic fabric in the state by providing administration at the door step of common individual,” Khanna said.

He asked the senior party leaders from the state to form a foolproof strategy to cement party’s win in the local elections.

State BJP president Ravinder Raina, who attended the meeting, asked the members of the committee to visit the targeted areas, note the details of ground situation and requirements and prepare detailed report for discussion.

The party’s state general secretary (organisation) Ashok Kaul asked the members of the panel to frame the detailed report for municipality elections at every municipal committee or council levels where as for panchayat elections the report has to be framed at assembly level.