Enthusiasm grips J and K ahead of PM's visit, says BJP

On the eve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Jammu and Kashmir, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Naval Kishore on Friday said there was great excitement and enthusiasm among people, government and his party workers regarding his visit to the state.

This is Prime Minister Modi's first visit to the state after formation of the PDP-Bharatiya Janata Party Government.

"Prime Minister Modi is following the footprints of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee as far as Kashmir is concerned. The Prime Minister has even said that he will finish all tasks undertaken by the Vajpayee government," said Naval Kishore.

When asked about the possibility of the Prime Minister announcing a package for the state, he said: "People have great expectations from Prime Minister Narendra Bhai, and Narendra Bhai, too, takes care of their concerns and expectations, and I am hopeful that he will not let the people of J&K."

His visit would send a positive message not only to J&K, but across the nation, he added.

On a question, whether the Prime Minister will invite Hurriyat leaders for a talk, he said, "The Prime Minister is a visionary person, and what he would do, even we are waiting for that with great enthusiasm."

When told that people are being pressurised to participate in the Prime Minister's rally at Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium here, he said, "I don't know from where you are getting such news. I will, Rather, say people are coming to me in large number asking for passages and commutation facility to reach there. I think the stadium will fall short of space on the day."

Meanwhile, ahead of the Prime Minister's visit the city has virtually turned into a fortress with security personnel deployed at every nook and corner.

Many separatist leaders, including Hurriyat Conference leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq have been placed under house arrest, while several others were taken into preventive custody to foil their plan of holding a rally parallel to that of Prime Minister Modi.