Srinagar, Aug 31: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is set to visit Jammu and Kashmir on September 4 to spearhead the party’s campaign for the upcoming Assembly elections.
During his visit, Gandhi will address two major rallies in the Banihal and Dooru constituencies, where the Congress has fielded two of its most senior candidates.
Speaking to Rising Kashmir, Senior Vice President and Chief Spokesperson of the J&K Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC), Ravinder Sharma, confirmed that Gandhi’s visit will focus solely on election campaigning.
“Preparations are underway for the rallies in Banihal, where former JKPCC President Vikar Rasool Wani is leading the campaign, and in Dooru, where senior leader G.A. Mir is contesting,” Sharma said.
Addressing the reporters in Srinagar, J&K Pradesh Congress Committee President Tariq Hameed Karra stated that Rahul Gandhi’s upcoming visit on September 4 is focused solely on the election campaign.
Meanwhile, AICC General Secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir added that it was the candidates’ desire to have Gandhi campaign in the region. “Rahulji will visit both Kashmir and Jammu to support the alliance candidates,” Mir said. He also mentioned that Gandhi will address an election rally at the Dooru stadium and another in the Sangaldan area of Jammu.
Congress announced the first list of nine candidates for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections in a document signed by AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal on August 27.
The first list of nine candidates for the upcoming elections, with prominent leaders Ghulam Ahmad Mir contesting from Dooru and Vikar Rasool Wani from Banihal. While Peerzada Mohd Syed will contest for the important Anantnag constituency, Sheikh Riaz seeks the Doda seat.
The party has fielded Surinder Singh Channi from the Tral seat, Amanullah Mantoo from Devsar, Shaikh Zafarullah from Inderwal, Nadeem Sharief from Bhadarwah, and Pradeep Kumar Bhagat from Doda West.
Prominent leader Ghulam Ahmad Mir will contest from Dooru and Vikar Rasool Wani from Banihal.
Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls are being held in three phases on September 18, 25 and October 1.
National Conference (NC) will contest 51 of 90 seats and Congress 32 according to the seat-sharing pact reached by the two parties for the assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir. The two parties will also have a contest on five seats. The two parties have left one seat each for CPI(M) and Panthers Party.
There are a total number of 90 assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir, out of which 7 seats are reserved for SCs and 9 seats are reserved for STs.
According to the Election Commission of India, Jammu and Kashmir has 88.06 lakh eligible electors. These are the first assembly elections to be held in Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370.
