BJP leaders for alternative route to Amarnath shrine through Ladakh

The BJP today demanded developing an alternative route to the cave shrine of Amarnath through the frontier region of Ladakh at a party meeting here, during which they also highlighted other demands and discussed upcoming council elections.

The annual yatra to the cave shrine, housing naturally formed ice shivlingam, is presently conducted from the twin routes of Pahalgam in Anantnag and Baltal in Ganderbal districts of the Valley.

The demand for an alternative route to the cave shrine through Ladakh was discussed at a meeting chaired by party Natonal vice president and Jammu and Kashmir in-charge Avinash Rai Khanna, and attended among others by state president Sat Sharma and party leaders from Leh and Kargil districts, a party spokesman said.

He said the meeting decided to work extensively for the development of the tourist infrastructure in the region.

Improvement in education facilities, increasing employment while stressing on the entrepreneurship and local avenues, fast-tracking recruitment in government offices also came up for a detailed discussion, he said.

Terming the meeting as crucial in view of the upcoming council elections, the spokesman said the leaders were asked to formulate strategy for every single seat to ensure the success of party candidates.

Both districts leadership was instructed to start work for draft of manifestos for Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Coucil, Lok Sabha and assembly elections," he said.

Sharma said all their concerns would be looked into promptly.

The spokesman also said a party delegation from Srinagar held a separate meeting with the leadership and discussed various organizational and developmental issues.