Jammu: Ahead of the autumn session of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, the BJP and the National Conference on Tuesday traded sharp allegations over governance and development, with Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma accusing the government of failing on the ground and Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary hitting back by questioning the state of development in Sharma’s Padder-Nagseni constituency.
Sharma, addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters in Jammu, alleged that routine governance had weakened under the National Conference-led government and claimed that there was little visible public outreach by ministers.
He also alleged that corruption was prevalent at different levels of the government and said people were reluctant to visit government offices because of the difficulties they faced.
The BJP leader said the party had recently held public interactions at district headquarters across the Jammu region to gather issues that would be raised during the Assembly session beginning September 21.
He said the BJP Legislature Party had compiled the grievances raised by people during these interactions and had decided to take up the concerns of those who were “suffering, deprived, exploited and victims” before the House.
The National Conference responded from Kishtwar, with Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary targeting Sharma over development in Padder-Nagseni.
Addressing workers’ meetings at Machail, Gulabgarh and Kishtwar, Choudhary questioned why the road from Gulabgarh to Maa Machail had not been completed despite nearly 12 years, during which Sharma had represented Padder-Nagseni as MLA and remained in a position of political influence.
Choudhary also questioned the rehabilitation of 15 families who lost members in the Chisoti cloudburst, asking why they had not yet been provided proper houses and rehabilitation.
He further raised questions over the benefits reaching local residents from power projects under construction in the constituency and alleged that large parts of Padder-Nagseni remained deprived of meaningful development.
“The people of Padder-Nagseni deserve accountability, transparency and equal development rather than political rhetoric and repeated promises,” Choudhary said.
NC Provincial President Rattan Lal Gupta also attacked the BJP, alleging that programmes such as the Sewa Sankalp Abhiyan and other outreach initiatives were being used more for political publicity than for addressing public grievances.
Gupta said people in Padder-Nagseni were seeking concrete action on roads, rehabilitation, public infrastructure and other basic necessities. He called upon NC workers to strengthen the party’s door-to-door outreach in the far-flung areas of Padder-Nagseni and Kishtwar.
NC MP and Chenab Valley Zonal President Sajjad Ahmad Kichloo also highlighted the difficulties faced by people in Kishtwar and Padder-Nagseni and sought greater attention towards the area.
The political exchange comes just days before the Assembly session, which is scheduled to begin in Srinagar on September 21.
While the BJP is preparing to raise grievances gathered during its district-level public interactions, the NC has sought to put the focus on development gaps in the constituencies represented by BJP leaders.
The competing claims have set the stage for a politically charged session, with governance, development, rehabilitation and delivery of basic services likely to figure prominently in the exchanges between the ruling party and the Opposition.
