NEW DELHI: BJP Rajya Sabha MP Syed Zafar Islam on Monday said the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) was a divided house, and its campaign for the ongoing DDC elections had lost steam.
He claimed that BJP’s campaign was getting good response from all sections of society, particularly youth who are mindful of their future and career prospects.
Those sections of society, including tribals, SC, women, who had been kept out of mainstream due to the now abrogated Article 370, are showing receptivity towards the BJP, he said.
“BJP cadre is on the increase with new members joining it during the election campaign,” said Zafar Islam, adding that BJP will spring a surprise on the PAGD in the DDC elections.
“The masses of UT of Jammu and Kashmir have started seeing through the game of disparate leaders of PAGD in sticking together just to keep the BJP at bay, and a ruse to keep them away from it,” he said.
Zafar Islam is a young progressive Muslim face of the BJP, and one of a clutch of party MPs drafted for the campaign, especially in Kashmir, and regions having population of Gujar and Bakarwal tribes who are also from Muslim community.
The campaign of the Rajya Sabha MP comprises addressing public meetings, and with door-to-door meetings in company of local BJP leaders and other influential people of the area.
He reels out Central government’s welfare policies and programmes, including Ayushman Bharat, Ujjwala schemes, Pradhan Mantri Samman Nidhi, etc., from which the people were kept deprived off by PAGD leaders through manipulations.
Zafar Islam presents his status in the BJP as an example to dispel misgivings among the Muslim population about BJP towards the community.
“When we visit the houses of common Muslim families, the members are surprised that BJP leadership has sent its leaders at their door steps which was in marked contrast to PAGD leaders and activists who have remained inaccessible to them all through these years,” said Zafar Islam.
“The common people have been sold anti-India sentiments by the PAGD cabal. Consequently, they had come to believe that Hindustan was an alien and foreign country.”
He further said that now the PAGD leaders were on the back-foot with BJP leaders making inroads among the locals, and calling their bluff and false, anti-India narrative.