Jammu, May 26: The Apni Party Provincial President, Jammu and former minister, S. Manjit Singh on Sunday welcomed the statement of the Chief Election Commissioner of India regarding the initiation of the process to hold assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. He asked the party workers to prepare for elections and strengthen their roots at the ground level.
The review was taken by the former minister during a meeting at village Chak Baglan in Block Vijaypur, the party said in a statement issued here.
In the meeting, the participants shared the detailed programs of door-to-door campaigns and educating the people about the Apni Party’s agenda of equitable development, peace, and stability in Jammu and Kashmir. “It’s a welcome statement given by the Chief Election Commissioner, Rajiv Kumar that the Election Commission of India would initiate a process of holding assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir very soon following encouraging voter turnout,” Singh said in the meeting.
He said the statement of the CEC shows that the Election Commission is keen to hold the elections in Jammu and Kashmir which has been pending for the last many years. “The people have had no elected representatives in Jammu and Kashmir for a long time, and hence, it becomes important to give them a democratic voice to address their issues and restore their confidence in the democratic system,” he added.
The former minister said that it becomes imperative for the Commission to hold elections in Jammu and Kashmir as soon as possible because the people have lost their faith in the bureaucratic system that listens to no one. “The bureaucracy has encouraged the liquor mafia and mining mafia to snatch the rights of the people of Jammu as well as Kashmir,” he alleged.
“The influential mafia system needs to be handled as per the law and the Apni Party is committed to protect the rights of the residents,” he added.
Manjit said the party will encourage the participation of the local contractors in their respective areas and industrial sectors to improve the falling graph of Jammu and Kashmir regarding employment. “We are committed to advertising the vacant posts for recruitment in the Govt services,” he said while expressing concern over the slow pace of development.
Singh, however, asked the workers to strengthen the party at the ground level and educate people about its policy and programmes.
