BJP urges NC to participate

“Those posing to be boycotting will field proxy candidates, like in past”

SRINAGAR: Criticising the Valley parties as well as Congress for boycotting the previous polls and putting condition on their participation this time around, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday appealed the National Conference (NC) to take part in the Panchayat bypolls scheduled to be held from next month.
The saffron party also alleged that the parties have fielded proxy candidates in the past, and would do so again.
“What stops them from participating openely,” asked BJP state General Secretary Ashok Kaul, while talking to reporters in Srinagar.
“Those who are staying away from these elections are doing so without a valid reason. Barring few, all the leaders from various political parties have been released. There is no reason for these parties to stay away from the elections with an excuse that their leaders are under detention,” he said, questioning People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and National Conference (NC).
“NC being a grassroots party must not shy away from taking part in the bypolls. NC should contest the Panchayat polls without putting any conditions,” he said.
"We request the National conference to take part in the Panchayat elections, if they take part in the polling, we will welcome them," Kaul said.
Kaul said that no big leaders are needed for the Panchayat elections.
"Amit Shah and JP Nadda are not coming to fight these elections, local leaders will contest these elections," Kaul said.
He said rather than making statements about the polls, the NC must show its strength by taking part in the Panchayat elections.
He said the parties, which boycotted elections in the past, used proxy candidates instead.
“During the previous panchayati elections these parties had boycotted the elections. They boycotted the Urban Local Body elections, but put up proxy candidates everywhere and they will again repeat the practice in upcoming elections,” he said.
Taking a jibe on Congress, he said, “No one from Congress party is under detention, why are they boycotting the elections?”
Earlier, NC said there was no point in taking part in the Panchayat polls on party basis when top leadership of the party continued to be under detention after the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5.
The Panchayat bypolls will be held in eight phases in the Union Territory from March 5.
To a question about the slapping of the PSA on IAS topper and bureaucrat turned politician Shah Faesal, Kaul said the PSA is not randomly slapped on anybody and there must be some footing for slapping the PSA on Faesal.
"Before slapping the PSA on somebody officers discuss the matter thoroughly," Kaul said. "Did anybody know that what the tainted DSP Davinder Singh was doing? Now, when the facts have come out, people have got to know about his activities."