Jammu, May 27: The record voter turnout in the recently conducted Lok Sabha polls in Kashmir Valley and Poonch-Rajouri is a clear indication of the people’s “dissatisfaction” with the Bharatiya Janata Party’s “proxy” government, the National Conference provincial president Jammu, Rattan Lal Gupta said on Monday.
He said the electorate’s enthusiasm is a “direct response to the BJP’s failure to meet the aspirations of the people over the last decade”.
Gupta asked the BJP to “wake up from its deep slumber”, interpreting the high voter turnout as a strong signal of the public’s anger and frustration towards the BJP’s “misrule” in Jammu and Kashmir. “The people’s active participation in the elections is a testament to their desire for change and their need to have their voices heard,” he said in a statement issued here.
The NC leader said, “The people of Jammu and Kashmir have been facing severe issues due to unemployment, highest-ever inflation, lack of basic amenities, non-holding of assembly elections, etc. Their votes are a powerful statement against the unresponsiveness and disconnect of the present administration. The government’s inability to address these critical issues has only fueled the people’s demand for the restoration of true democracy.”
Rattan Lala said people have given 10 years to the BJP, but the saffron party has “miserably failed” to meet their aspirations. “This has resulted in an overall decline in the quality of life for the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
The NC provincial president criticised the BJP for what he termed as the party’s contradictory stance on democracy. “On one hand, the BJP claims to be the largest democratic party, yet on the other hand, it failed to field its candidates in the recently conducted Lok Sabha polls in the Kashmir Valley,” he remarked.
Guta expressed confidence that the historic turnout will yield a decisive result in favour of the INDIA bloc in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. “The outcome of this remarkable voter engagement will be evident on June 4, when the INDIA bloc emerges victorious,” he said, adding that the National Conference remains committed to addressing the needs and aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, ensuring that their voices are represented and heard in the democratic process.
