Congress MP Rahul Gandhi will kickstart his party's campaign for the Jammu and Kashmir assembly election on Wednesday, September 4, with two mega public rallies in the Ramban and Anantnag districts. The rallies are part of the campaign for the Congress candidates contesting in the first phase of the elections on September 18.
According to Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) chief Tariq Hamid Karra, Rahul Gandhi, who will arrive in Jammu from New Delhi, will first campaign for former Jammu and Kashmir unit party chief Vikar Rasool Wani, who is contesting from the Banihal assembly constituency, reported news agency PTI.
Following this, Rahul Gandhi will fly to the Dooru area of Anantnag district, where he will address another rally in support of Congress general secretary and former minister Ghulam Ahmed Mir, who is contesting the Dooru assembly segment.
Rahul Gandhi will return to Delhi in the evening from Srinagar, Karra said.
Exuding confidence in Gandhi's campaign, the JKPCC chief said it would give a “new impetus” to the party's outreach during the elections and improve its poll prospects, reported PTI.
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The Congress is relying on Rahul Gandhi to reclaim the party's dominance, especially in Jammu, which has gradually shifted towards the BJP. In the recently held Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won both seats in Jammu.
{{/usCountry}}The Congress is relying on Rahul Gandhi to reclaim the party's dominance, especially in Jammu, which has gradually shifted towards the BJP. In the recently held Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won both seats in Jammu.
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has also confirmed her participation in the party's campaign in the union territory - which will unfold in three phases.
The polling for the 90-member Jammu and Kashmir assembly will be held in three phases on September 18, September 25, and October 1. The results will be declared on October 4.
Congress-NC alliance
The Congress and the National Conference have entered into a pre-poll alliance for the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, which are being held for the first time since the abrogation of Article 370. According to the seat-sharing pact, the NC will contest on 51 seats, while the Congress will contest on 32 seats.
"We have agreed to have a friendly but disciplined contest…Over and above these seats, we have left 1 seat for CPI (M) and 1 seat for Panthers Party,” Karra had said in a briefing.
(With inputs from PTI)