BJP to discuss Amarnath land issue today

While the state government has repealed the order for transfer of 40 acres to the board, the BJP feels the issue is far from over.

"We will meet to discuss the ramifications of this agitation and how to take it forward. This reflects the typical votebank politics of the Congress and must be opposed and the legitimate requirements of the pilgrims met," said a senior party leader.

The BJP's prime ministerial candidate, LK Advani, speaking at the Hindi launch of his autobiography, said the Congress had always "stood by extremists".

"First came the government's stand on the Ram Setu issue by which the UPA government is attempting to undermine faith and natural heritage. The government seems to be siding with extremist forces in the execution of court orders in the Afzal (Guru) case. And now the Congress-led government has revoked the allotment of land to the shrine board under the extremists' pressure," Advani said.

Senior party strategists see this not only as a way to improve the party's tally in the upcoming polls but also as as a national issue.

At present, the party has one MLA in the Assembly. "The issue can gain ground if we provoke a debate on the matter. We should not use invectives against a particular community but use the facts of the case to show the duplicity of the Congress in the matter," said a senior office-bearer of the party.

Meanwhile, two days after the PDP withdrew support to the government, Governor NN Vohra asked Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad to prove his majority by July 7. Azad, in a letter to Vohra, had offered to prove his majority anytime despite his government slipping into minority following the withdrawal of support of the 18 MLAs of the

PDP. Ever since the recent political instability in the state, there has been hectic activity at the residence of Azad with disgruntled MLAs from the PDP and a majority of independents willing to support the government.

The 24-MLA strong opposition National Conference has ruled out extending support to the government while the Panthers Party, which has four members, has been at loggerheads with the coalition government since 2005.