BJP promises to reserve 3 seats in Kashmir for Pandits

In a bid to woo Kashmiri Pandits, BJP today promised to reserve three out of 46 Assembly seats in Kashmir for the community displaced from the Valley after the outbreak of militancy.

Releasing its 'vision document', the party vowed to initiate the process of "just and honourable" re-settlement of the community and underlined the 'TIME' model for development of Jammu and Kashmir focusing on tourism, infrastructure, modernisation and empowerment.

BJP, which is targeting to win '44 plus' seats in the 87-member Assembly, said that if voted to power, the party would reserve three seats out of the 46 assembly seats in Kashmir Valley.

The party also said that it would reserve five seats for refugees from the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK) from the 24 seats kept vacant for the PoK.

"The party would reserve five seats for POK refugees out of 24 left vacant in the assembly for POK and three for the displaced Kashmiris out of the 46 seats earmarked for the Kashmir Valley," party MP and state in-charge Avinash Rai Khanna told reporters here while releasing party's 'vision document'.

"Our vision is to make the state of Jammu and Kashmir a peaceful, progressive and developed state of the Union of India through holistic and inclusive development of all the three regions including Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh," he said.

The party has promised to initiate the process of "just and honourable" re-settlement of the displaced members of the Kashmiri Pandit community in Kashmir valley with security and dignity.

In its vision document the party also promises to give 33 per cent reservation to women in the legislative assembly and legislative council.

He said that after coming to power, the first major work in hand would be to undertake the relief and rehabilitation of the victims of the floods triggered by the unprecedented rainfall during the first week of September.

"Favouritism will be curbed and we will ensure justice to all aggrieved individuals and families. Direct cash transfer in the accounts of the affected persons would also ensured," Khanna said.

It refrained from mentioning the controversial issue of abrogation of the Article 370 in its vision document with the BJP leader saying the party had cleared its stand on the issue.

"We are fighting these elections on the issue of development and on rest of the issues we have made our stand clear," Khanna said.

The party stated that it would create a livable condition in exile in Jammu and elsewhere in the state until proper rehabilitation of the displaced members of the Kashmiri Pandit community in the Valley.

The BJP also said that it would bring reforms in governance.

"BJP will ensure corruption-free and people-friendly government. We will keep all public authorities out of political influences," he said.