The Budget Session of the Jammu Legislative Assembly kicks off on Monday, with the Congress party, in alliance with the National Conference, expected to push for the restoration of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir.
Ahead of the session, Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma chaired a strategy meeting with BJP MLAs to discuss their approach. Sharma dismissed the statehood issue as being beyond the assembly’s jurisdiction and urged the ruling party to focus on their promises of free electricity, ration, gas cylinders, pensions, and employment. “They should address their commitments, not matters outside this house,” Sharma told ANI.
Sharma also emphasized that the BJP would highlight governance-related issues and the day-to-day challenges faced by the people. BJP MLA Vikram Randhawa warned that if Congress or Mehbooba Mufti’s PDP raised what he called “meaningless issues,” they would face strong opposition. “We should listen to the LG’s speech peacefully, and BJP will make a positive contribution to this session. But if the opposition brings up irrelevant topics, they’ll face trouble,” Randhawa said.
Shakti Parihar, BJP MLA from Doda West, added that the party would serve as a constructive opposition, raising people-centric issues. Meanwhile, Awami Ittehad Party MLA Khursheed Ahmad Sheikh announced plans to advocate for the restoration of both statehood and Article 370. “We will raise issues related to our political aspirations and development. We’ll call for the reinstatement of statehood and Article 370,” Sheikh stated, adding criticism of the National Conference’s unclear stance on these matters.
On Sunday, Congress leader Ghulam Ahmed Mir reiterated the widespread demand for the restoration of statehood, asserting that it reflects the will of Jammu and Kashmir’s 1.4 crore people. “This is the demand of the people; it’s not about any party. The people want their statehood restored,” Mir declared.
The restoration of Article 370, reinstating Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, and implementing the autonomy resolution were among the key promises in the National Conference’s election manifesto. The central government, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had repealed Article 370 in August 2019, ending the special status of Jammu and Kashmir under the Indian Constitution.