BJP overcomes taboo to achieve highest vote share in J&K: Jitendra Singh

Union minister Jitendra Singh on Tuesday said from being a "taboo", the BJP rose with the highest vote share in Jammu and Kashmir, marking an incredible journey in the recent assembly elections in the Union Territory.

Addressing a media conclave, Singh said the BJP registered its best ever performance in J&K and credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for having introduced in the last 10 years a new work culture wherein the benefits of development and public welfare schemes reached to every section of society regardless of caste, creed or religion.

"This was a huge departure from the politics followed by Congress party which was primarily based on vote bank considerations," the science and technology minister said.

He said the BJP is a party that has ensured fair deal to every citizen, following the mantra for "justice to all, appeasement to none".

Singh said there were times when a returning officer would reject all the nomination papers and accept only that of the ruling party candidate and declare him a winner uncontested even before the day of polling.

"From there we have traversed into a long spell of militancy where, for over three decades, elections were held under fear of gun with boycott call by Pakistan and separatist groups resulting in just eight per cent to 10 per cent polling managed by a handful of individuals and families to perpetuate their rule from generation to generation," Singh said.

The senior BJP leader said this was for the first time that mainstreaming of democracy took place in J&K and the elections witnessed the same festivity and enthusiasm as anywhere in the country.