JK polls just a week away, but parties yet to issue manifestos

Even as the first phase of the five-phased Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir is just about a week away, political parties here are yet to bring out manifestos outlining their poll agenda and policies for the state.
All the major political parties in the state -- national parties BJP and Congress and regional parties National Conference (NC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-- have not yet released their manifestos for the elections beginning November 25.
BJP said the party would come out with its manifesto in a few days and its president Amit Shah would release it in Jammu.
"Our manifesto is ready. It will be released in a few days by our president in Jammu. We will launch it simultaneously here as well," party's spokesman Khalid Jehangir said.

He said the delay in releasing the poll agenda was because the party was "busy with other activities".
Ruling NC said the poll manifesto was delayed because of the floods and the party's stand that it wanted the elections to be delayed for some months for the rehabilitation of the flood-affected people.

"There are many reasons for the delay. There were floods in the state. The party did not want the elections to happen on time and wanted the process to be delayed for the rehabilitation of the flood victims," NC spokesman Junaid Azim Mattu said.
Mattu said the document was being printed and would be released in a couple of days.

NC's coalition partner Congress also said that its manifesto was being printed and would be released here in a few days time.
"It is being printed in Delhi and I am sure it will reach us in a few days time and will be released here," Pradesh Congress Committee Vice President Ghulam Nabi Monga said.
Opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said its manifesto was not released so far as the party had to involve all the stakeholders in compiling its poll agenda.
"We wanted to take all stake holders, including people outside the party, on board in having our poll agenda before the public and the floods also led to the document being delayed," PDP chief spokesman Naeem Akhtar said.

Akhtar said the manifesto was now almost ready and would be released soon.
The state will go through five-phase polls on November 25, December 2, 9, 14 and 20.