Amit Shah to visit Jammu tomorrow: BJP chief's first visit since dissolution of govt likely to be a battle cry ahead of 2019

After the fall of the coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir, BJP chief Amit Shah’s pre-planned visit to Jammu has taken an interesting political turn. Shah, who is set to visit the Hindu-dominated region on 23 June on the death anniversary of party ideologue Syama Prasad Mookerjee, will not only use the occasion to revitalise party workers but is also expected to send a strong message to the Kashmir Valley as well. The visit, his first since the collapse of the government, will also provide Shah with an opportunity to clearly spell out the BJP’s stand on tricky issues in the state before party workers. The party, which has preferred to take an aggressive stance on Kashmir until it entered the alliance with PDP, is likely to resume its old ideological stance. [caption id=“attachment_4500123” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] BJP president Amit Shah and Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis arriving at Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray’s residence on Wednesday. PTI[/caption] BJP celebrates Mukherjee’s death anniversary as martyrdom day every year but this time the programme is being held in Jammu. The BJP chief will have an opportunity to send out a strong political message to the party supporters, and to reassert that party’s stance on Kashmir hasn’t changed one bit. Shah is also expected to use the opportunity to justify his party’s decision to pull out of the alliance with PDP. While it was part of the PDP-led government, BJP was tied by the coalition dharma and was forced to mellow its hardline agenda on Kashmir. Now as the alliance fell apart, BJP is getting battle ready with the mission to showcase its hardline views in its areas of dominance, the Jammu region. Shah’s visit will also kick-start the process of consolidation and reorganisation of the BJP’s ground workforce. Shah will release a book called, A saga of Sacrifices… praja parishad movement in Jammu & Kashmir, at the event, which is being organised by Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Foundation. The book release function will also be followed by a public rally. Shah to review party MP’s performance, hold strategy meet with Sangh, VHP leaders After pulling out of the coalition with PDP, the BJP-led central government is already in the process of accelerating the anti-militancy operations in the Kashmir Valley. It will be Shah’s job to get the party machinery election ready ahead of the big battle in 2019. BJP feels that its muscular policy in Kashmir will help it score points in elections across the country. In his Jammu visit, Shah will also discuss organisational issues with party leaders. In his two day tour, the BJP chief will hold meetings with RSS cadre, key state leaders of the Sangh and VHP, along with members of other RSS affiliate bodies. BJP sources say that Shah will also gather feedback on the working of the sitting BJP MPs. While in Jammu, BJP head will also be holding deliberations with the members of party’s election management committee. Organisational secretary of the BJP, Ram Lal will also be taking part in these deliberations. BJP to reassert aggressive approach in coming days? In the changed political landscape of the state, BJP has decided to flex its political muscle during Shah’s Jammu visit. BJP sources said that a big road show of Amit Shah was planned from Jammu airport to the convention centre, where the party meeting is to be held. The party wants to turn the road show into a show of political strength and to use it to revitalise the party organisation. A senior party leader said that BJP is going to take a very aggressive stance in Jammu and Kashmir in the coming days. The leader also said that BJP can’t compromise on the issues of nationalism, national security and integrity. And that is the message it hopes to convey by pulling out of the coalition government with PDP. The real challenge for BJP has just started. The party understands the challenge before it very well. But, BJP believes that action of armed forces and government during Governer’s Rule and the party’s hardline political posturing will help it overcome the incumbent political challenge it faces.