Prime Minister Narendra Modi was expected to attend a meeting of the BJP’s Jammu and Kashmir core group in New Delhi on Tuesday, sources said. Senior party leaders, including party chief Amit Shah, were to discuss the political situation in the state and the party’s preparation for assembly elections, whenever they are called.

Who was attending

According to the sources, the participants were to include the party’s national working president J P Nadda, Union minister Jitendra Singh, general secretary Ram Madhav and Ravinder Raina, who heads the state unit, as well as other senior state leaders.

The expected presence of both Modi and Shah was seen as a sign that the party is preparing for the polls. The Election Commission will fix the schedule once the central and state governments give it clearance on the law and order situation.

Development message

In his monthly “Mann Ki Baat” radio broadcast on Sunday, Modi pointed to a recent government outreach effort to argue that development is a stronger force than bullets and bombs. He said the “Back to Village” programme held in the state in June, in which officials travelled to villages to discuss development schemes with residents, drew enthusiastic participation, including in remote and highly sensitive areas.

Party pushing for early polls

Madhav, who handles Jammu and Kashmir affairs for the BJP, had earlier asked the Election Commission to hold the election this year. State general secretary Narinder Singh said the party was ready for polls at any time and that the Commission still had enough time to conduct them this year. The previous assembly election, in 2014, was held in November and December. The state is under President’s Rule, which was extended by another six months from July 3.

What happened next

In August 2019 (5-6 August), Parliament ended Jammu and Kashmir’s special status under Article 370, and the state was reorganised into two union territories. When the assembly election was eventually held in 2024, the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference won 42 seats, the BJP 29, the Congress 6 and the PDP 3, and Omar Abdullah became Chief Minister.

See also: Bharatiya Janata Party and Elections.

Originally published on 30 July 2019. Rewritten on 9 October 2026.

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