JAMMU: After failing to gather impressive crowds during Tiranga yatras in the run up to the 70th Independence Day celebrations, the State Unit of BJP is working overtime to gather huge crowds to ensure grand success of the public rally in Smailpur- the birth place of Praja Parishad and former Jana Sangh President Pt Premnath Dogra on Sunday.
Union Ministers Arun Jaitley and Dr Jitendra Singh are scheduled to address the rally.
Despite making elaborate arrangements for the grand show of strength, the state BJP leaders are a worried lot.
The popularity of local party leaders has taken a beating in the recent days and the party machinery is working overtime to gather huge crowds to send a clear message to the central leadership.
Instead of cutting a sorry figure in front of the union ministers the entire party machinery is focusing its energies on the public rally to save their own skin.
On the other hand, the local party workers are facing a dilemma as local residents are waiting for their turn to extract their own pound of flesh from the vocal State BJP leaders.
Ever since local workers in the area started mobilising villagers and sought their support to attend the rally and make it a success they have been raising the issues confronting them.
Local residents, especially those living close to the border areas, have been asking some uncomforting questions to the BJP leaders about the assurances of allotting residential plots measuring 5 Marlas for border dwellers.
Delay caused in organising Special Recruitment Rallies for border residents and status of community bunkers being constructed on pilot basis to ensure their safety at the time of hostilities between the neighboring border guards are some other irritants for the local BJP leadership.
After witnessing success in the 2014 Assembly polls the popularity of the BJP is on the decline in its stronghold due to its alliance with the Kashmir based mainstream political party PDP. The current turmoil in Kashmir valley and the way the entire issue is being handled by the alliance government has created a wide gap between Jammu based supporters of the party and the stand taken by the senior party ministers.
The popular BJP leaders and local representatives have been finding it difficult to recreate the charisma of 2014 Assembly polls where large crowds used to gather to listen the leaders.
After witnessing poor participation of general masses during the ambitious Tiranga yatra programme the State Unit of the party went in to huddle to chalk out a comprehensive strategy to ensure healthy