Why is the Gupkar gang against delimitation in Jammu and Kashmir? This is the moot question people ask. And, it is in the nation’s interest to explain it.
The explainer –
There are 37 assembly segments in Hindu-majority Jammu and 13 in Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency.
In the last Lok Sabha elections, BJP secured leads in 27 assembly segments in Jammu region. Its ally Peoples Conference led in two assembly segments of Baramulla.
This gave BJP-J&K PC a lead in 29 assembly segments in the state.
However, this number is not enough in the now reduced 83-member Jammu and Kashmir Assembly as a party requires a minimum 42 seats to form government.
To overcome this limitation, the BJP has decided to lift the freeze on delimitation.
The party hopes to get seven more seats under delimitation because Hindu-majority Jammu is larger than Kashmir area-wise. It also hopes to reap additional moolah by increasing the reserved assembly seats from seven to 18 for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
After the election process, if the BJP gets 36 to 40-odd seats, it will do everything possible to forge an alliance with Altaf Bukhari-led Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party and other fringe parties to form the government in the expected 90-member state assembly.
Therefore, the Gupkar alliance is against delimitation. They are worried they would not be able to form the government and continue with their corruption, nepotism, favouritism and other malpractices.
They are also worried that their pro-Pakistan and pro-separatism business will come to an end which they ran by garnering the support of anti-India elements.
And the BJP is in no mood to give a long rope to such type of deceptive and anti-India tendencies.