Kharge, Sonia, Rahul among 40 others to campaign for party in J&K Polls

Srinagar, Sep 01: The Congress party has released a list of 40-star campaigners for the first phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, scheduled to begin on September 18. The list includes top leaders such as Congress President MallikarjunKharge, CPP Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former party chief Rahul Gandhi, and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Other prominent leaders featured on the list include Jairam Ramesh, AmbikaSoni, Ajay Maken, Salman Khurshid, and Kanhaiya Kumar. Chief Ministers and former Chief Ministers of various states, such as Himachal Pradesh’s Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi, and ex-Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot, are also included. The spokesman said that this marks the first Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir since 2014 and the first since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
“The election process will be held in three phases: September 18, September 25, and October 1, with the vote count scheduled for October 8. The Congress has already formed an alliance with the National Conference for these elections,” he said.
Meanwhile, Congress President, President MallikarjunKharge said that deception is the only policy of the BJP for the youth of Jammu and Kashmir.
In a post on X, he said there is youth unemployment rate in Jammu & Kashmir as on March 2024 is a staggering 28.2%. (PLFS). Many exam paper leaks, bribes and rampant corruption have delayed hiring across departments for 4 years now. An astounding 65% of government department posts in Jammu & Kashmir remain vacant since 2019.
The Party President said that in Jammu and Kashmir, over 60,000 government daily wagers have been toiling for more than 15 years, earning a meagre ₹300 per day.
“Despite their long-standing service, they remain on contract basis, even in essential departments such as Power, Public Health, and Engineering, highlighting the precarious nature of the job crisis,” he said.
Kharge said that even though BJP promised industry in Jammu and Kashmir, it has no major manufacturing units. The private sector is confined to providing services in farming, hospitality and health.
“Despite the introduction of the New Industrial Policy in 2021, a mere 3% of investments have materialised on the ground. 40% of projects under the PM’s Development Package, 2015, remain pending,” he said.
The Congress President also said that on October 1, Youth of J&K will show the Exit Door to Modi& Company.