Rahul Gandhi to address two mega rallies in J&K today

Srinagar, Sept 03: Congress President and Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, is scheduled to arrive in Jammu and Kashmir today for election campaigning. He will address mega party conventions in Banihal and Dooru constituencies. Vice President and Chief Spokesperson, JKPCC, Ravinder Sharma told Rising Kashmir that Gandhi will arrive in J&K today and address the first public rally at Banihal at 11 am. He will then move to Dooru, Anantnag, where he will address another mega rally at 12.45 pm at Sports Stadium Dooru. All preparations have been completed, and a huge turnout is expected at both rallies. Congress workers from across J&K will attend the events. Sharma said they are expecting a huge number of people at both places. “Congress workers from every corner of J&K will reach at respective places,” he added.
Meanwhile, AICC general secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir, said it was the desire of the candidates of the alliance to have Gandhi campaign.
“Rahul ji will arrive on September 4. He will be welcomed by party workers at Jammu airport. After that he will address election campaign rallies in Kashmir as well as Jammu for the alliance candidates,” he said.
Mir is contesting his seat from Dooru and Vikar Rasool Wani from Banihal. While Peerzada Mohd Syed is contesting for the important Anantnag constituency, Sheikh Riaz won the Doda seat.
Meanwhile on Monday Congress announced six additional candidates for the upcoming assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, set to take place in the second phase.
JKPCC Chief Tariq Hameed Karra, who will contest from the Central-Shalteng seat.The other candidates are Mumtaz Khan from Reasi, Bhupendra Jamwal from Shri Mata Vaishno Devi, Iftikhar Ahmad from Rajouri (ST), Shabir Ahmad Khan from Thanamandi (ST), and Muhammad Shahnawaz Choudhary from Surankote (ST).
This announcement comes shortly after the Congress Central Election Committee finalized candidates for 23 assembly seats in the second and third phases of the elections.
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.