Delimitation: BJP activists protest in Jammu against proposed merger of Suchetgarh assembly seat

Jammu: After almost all political parties opposed the draft Delimitation Commission report on Jammu and Kashmir, hundreds of BJP activists on Monday tendered resignation to protest the proposed merger of Suchetgarh assembly constituency in Jammu district.

The activists, including office bearers of Block Development Commission (BDC), Panchayat and organisation office bearers, met JK BJP party general secretary Ashok Kaul and submitted their resignation.

"We met Shri Ashok Kaul ji (General Secretary) here. We have resigned en masse from the party in protest against the Delimitation Commission report in which our constituency has been merged with R S Pura constituency. We will fight till the decision is reversed", BJP leader Kabal Singh told the media.

The leaders said that they will fight to restore their constituency which was carved in 1986. "We will lay down our lives to safeguard our constituency", he said.

BDC Chairman Tarseem Singh said that they have decided not to work for the BJP till their demands are met.

"We don't accept the report. Our constituency has a vote bank of 75,000. If they can carve out Mata Vaishnodevi constituency for 70,000 votes, why not keep this constituency for 75,000 voters," he said.

As many as 83 polling booth in-charges, 26 Shakti Kendra in-charges, 2 Mandal in charges, Gar Singh and Krishen Choudhary besides BDC Tarseem Singh submitted their resignation.

In the proposed draft report, Kalakote, Suchetgarh and Raipur Domana assembly segments have been removed and Inderwal assembly constituency has been renamed Mughal Maidaan.

Reacting to the protests, Kaul said the BJP will be filing objections with the Commission over it.

"The BJP MP will file objections in this regard. When it will come to the public domain, we will also file objections over it", Kaul told PTI.

He sought to downplay the protest, saying it is the right of the workers to vent their feelings.