Jammu- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is likely to meet army officers including the northern army commander at army’s Northern Command Headquarters at Udhampur on February 24.
Sources told the news agency, Kashmir News Observer (KNO), besides Prime Minister, Rajnath Singh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari are also likely to visit Jammu and Kashmir in March-April. The visits of union ministers including the Prime Minister’s are considered significant in view of the coming Lok Sabha polls.
The Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will be visiting Northern Command Headquarters at Udhampur on February 24, his second visit to the Jammu region in less than two months, during which he will inaugurate the new building of the Command Hospital and interact with top Army Commanders on prevailing situation in the Union Territory.
“The Defence Minister is scheduled to inaugurate the new building of Command Hospital in Northern Command Headquarters on February 24 followed by his address to the Army officers and jawans,” the sources said.
“Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari are also expected to visit the Union Territory in April-May,” sources said, adding that BJP president JP Nadda’s tour to the UT is also being explored prior to Lok Sabha elections.
A number of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders left Jammu and Kashmir today to attend the party’s two-day National Council meeting in New Delhi on February 17 and 18 which will be addressed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president JP Nadda and Home Minister Amit Shah among others.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will sound poll bugle for the BJP in Jammu and Kashmir during his February 20 rally at MA Stadium.
The sources said that Modi’s visit to Jammu and Kashmir could boost BJP’s prospects in the Union Territory ahead of Lok Sabha election as the party is eyeing three seats out of five this time.
BJP for two consecutive terms in 2014 and 2019 won two Lok Sabha seats from Jammu region. Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Dr Jitendra Singh won the Udhampur-Kathua seat and Jugal Kishore Sharma won the Jammu-Poonch seat in the last two Lok Sabha polls.
The party this time is eyeing third seat Anantnag-Poonch-Rajouri which has a large number of Pahari votes to whom the Government accorded ST status in the just concluded Parliament session.
Meanwhile, tight security is in place for the smooth conduct of the Prime Minister’s rally.
All vehicles passing nearby the venue-located in the heart of Jammu city-are being frisked and special check posts are installed along the River Tawi bank-adjacent to the M A Stadium.
“Security forces are on alert mode and are maintaining vigil around the venue while barricades are also erected and the entrants at the venue are being allowed to move only after complete frisking,” said a senior police official.
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