Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi along with party president Mallikarjun Kharge address a press conference after the party workers’ meeting in Srinagar on Thursday (August 22) | (Photo: PTI)
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said he has “blood ties” with the people of Jammu and Kashmir. “I love the people of JK… I have a very old relationship, a blood relationship with them,” he said at a party event in Srinagar which was also attended by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.
In his first visit to the Valley after the announcement of assembly elections, he said that restoration of statehood is a priority for both him and his party.
Taking a swipe at the Narendra Modi government, the opposition leader said, “We expected this (restoration of statehood) to be done before the elections… but nothing is happening. Elections have been declared… it is a step forward.” He added, “In India, after independence, many Union Territories were upgraded to states… but there is only one instance where a state was downgraded… this is the first time. It never happened before.”
Addressing the voters of JK, who will be exercising their franchise in their first Assembly elections since 2014, Rahul said, “For us (Congress), representing the people of JK is important. I will tell you why… I protect democracy across the country, but, for me, the aim is to remove the pain from the hearts of the people of JK… I am not making a political statement.”
Meanwhile, Kharge, who is the party’s leader in the Rajya Sabha, also appealed to voters. “…as Rahul Gandhi said, his relationship with JK is not limited to likes or dislikes. He is related to JK by blood…and we hope that JK will support us in the upcoming elections,” he said, adding, “We need your votes to save the country…to save your culture and your rights.”
Rahul meets Farooq Abdullah to discuss pre-poll alliance
Rahul Gandhi also met National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah in Srinagar on Thursday to discuss a possible pre-poll alliance for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections.
“The meeting took place in a very cordial atmosphere. The alliance (for the 90 seats) is on track and will go ahead with the grace of God,” Abdullah told reporters.
Later, Kharge also shared pictures from the meeting at X and said, “We along with Rahul Gandhi had a warm courtesy meeting with Farooq Abdullah and JKNC Vice President Omar Abdullah in Srinagar today (August 22).”
The JK Assembly elections will be held in three phases – on September 18, September 25 and October 1. The counting of votes will take place on October 4. Last year, the Supreme Court had directed the Election Commission to hold the elections by September 30, 2024.
First published: August 22, 2024 | 17:59 IS
Disclaimer:
The information contained in this post is for general information purposes only. We make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the post for any purpose.
We respect the intellectual property rights of content creators. If you are the owner of any material featured on our website and have concerns about its use, please contact us. We are committed to addressing any copyright issues promptly and will remove any material within 2 days of receiving a request from the rightful owner.