Dropping a hint that the BJP might not field its candidates on the three Lok Sabha seats in the Kashmir Valley, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said the party is not in a hurry to see the lotus bloom in the Valley as the BJP is in the process of “winning hearts of the people in Kashmir”.

He was addressing an election rally here in favour of BJP candidate Jugal Kishore Sharma for the Jammu Lok Sabha seat.

Referring to allegations by political adversaries that the saffron party was trying to capture Kashmir through the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, Shah said, “I want to tell the people of Kashmir that we are not among those who believe in capturing, the lotus (BJP’s party symbol) will bloom in the Valley only through your affection.”

He asked the people to vote for anyone except the parties of Abdullahs, Mehbooba and Sonia Gandhi who work for the “growth of only their dynasties”.

The minister also accused the Congress, National Conference (NC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of staging fake encounters and handing over guns in the hands of the Kashmiri youth and these parties are responsible for encouraging terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. “I want to ask Dr Farooq Abdullah, in whose tenure most of the fake encounters took place? Wasn’t it Dr Farooq Abdullah’s government then?” he asked.

He asserted that the Narendra Modi government has not only restored peace in Jammu and Kashmir but also accelerated development and employment through a transparent system.

He said the assembly election in J-K will be held within the timeframe fixed by the Supreme Court. “There will be no delay,” he said.

Targeting PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, Shah said, “Nobody has the guts to raise slogans for Pakistan. Slogans of ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ can only be heard in Jammu and Kashmir. PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti had said that if Article 370 is removed, nobody will be left to give a shoulder to the tricolour… She needs to understand that this tricolour is immortal and will always stay. Article 370 was scrapped and the tricolour still flies with pride and glory.”

He said by abrogating Article 370, BJP ideologue Shyama Prasad Mukherjee’s dream of “Ek Vidhan, Ek Pradhan, Eik Nishan” stands fulfilled.

The home minister asserted that terrorism is on its deathbed, while stone pelting, bandh calls from Pakistan and street protests have become a thing of the past under the Modi regime.

“Prime Minister Modi has handed over laptops in the hands of youth who were earlier holding stones,” Shah said, adding that “this is the change we have brought in Kashmir.”

“There was an era when we could not imagine a gathering like this… stone pelting, firing, and bomb explosions used to happen. Announcements of strike were made from Pakistan. The evil shadow of Article 370 was all over Jammu and Kashmir. The BJP government has tightened the noose around terrorism in the Valley,” he added.

Shah said the current regime has given reservation to Gujjars, Bakerwals, Paharis, Valmikis, and OBCs. “We also gave 33 per cent reservation to women in the assembly,” he said.

He said the Bharatiya Janata Party is also mulling to ensure every border village of Jammu looks like Jammu city.

“Today, Jammu is progressing. It was in Jammu where e-buses started plying first. Today, the city has AIIMS, IIMs, and IITs, and students from across the country are coming here to study. We are also committed to convert Suchetgarh border in Jammu like Wagah border.”