Srinagar, Sep 24 From regional parties’ pledges to release jailed youth to the BJP’s opposition to restoration of special status, the second phase of campaigning for 26 Assembly seats in six districts in Jammu and Kashmir came to an end on Monday. The polling will be held on Wednesday (September 25).
Over 25.78 lakh voters will decide the fate of 239 candidates in the second phase in the Kashmir valley’s three districts of Ganderbal, Srinagar and Budgam and the Jammu region’s Reasi, Rajouri and Poonch districts. Out of 25.78 lakh voters, 13.12 lakh are male voters and 12.65 lakh female voters and 53 third-gender voters, officials said.
A total of 93 candidates are in fray in Srinagar district with eight Assembly segments, followed by 46 in Budgam district with five seats, 34 in Rajouri district with five seats, 25 in Poonch district with three seats, 21 in Ganderbal district with two seats, while 20 candidates are contesting in Reasi district with three seats.
While the National Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are vying to win the maximum number of seats in Kashmir, the BJP is putting up its efforts to ramp up numbers in the Pir Panjal valley’s Rajouri and Poonch and defeat the Congress and the NC candidates.
Security beefed up
Meanwhile, security was beefed up across Jammu and Kashmir, especially in Srinagar and the Pir Panjal valley, in the wake of upcoming elections. Fresh checkpoints were set up in Srinagar and vehicles and pedestrians were put to frisking “to keep a tab on militant movement”.
In Kashmir, Omar Abdullah held a series of rallies in Budgam. The NC vice-president is contesting from central Kashmir’s Ganderbal and Budgam, both going to polls in the second phase on September 25. He concluded his speech with the promise to release jailed youth.
“There is hardly any house where a youth does not face a case in police stations. No week when they are not summoned by the police. Many youths have been shifted to outside jails. We will review all FIRs lodged in the past five years and withdraw cases. Those jailed outside under the Public Safety Act will be brought back to Kashmir and the process of release will be initiated. We will revoke the PSA,” Mr. Abdullah said.
In central Kashmir Ganderbal seats, two major rivals of Mr. Abdullah, the Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) chief Engineer Rashid, who was recently released, and the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad, held rallies on Monday.
“Regional parties are misleading people with false promises. I thought that the issues would change in this election but unfortunately, the issues haven’t changed. I am listening to the same slogans which were used in elections when I was in college. Roads, schools, and education are not an issue but Islam in danger is,” Mr. Azad said.
In Jammu, senior BJP leader and Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh also targeted the manifestos of the regional parties. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has with a lot of effort, commitment and conviction tried to create a new culture where the society lives in harmony and the benefits of the government reach every needy person regardless of caste, creed, religion or vote preference. The NC manifesto supported by the Congress says they will bring back 35 A and deprive our daughters of their property rights. The message from these hills should be loud and clear that we are a part of Modi’s India and our identity is that of proud Indians,” he added. — (HT)
