Rahul Gandhi to kick off Congress election campaign in Jammu and Kashmir with two rallies

Karra expressed confidence that Gandhi’s campaign will give a further boost to the party’s public outreach during the elections and improve its prospects in the polls.

Srinagar: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will begin his party’s campaign for the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections today. Gandhi will address two public rallies in Ramban and Anantnag districts. The elections to the 90-member Assembly will begin on September 18 and the second phase is scheduled for September 25, while the third phase will take place on October 1.

Rahul Gandhi, who will arrive in Jammu from New Delhi, will first campaign for former party chief of Jammu and Kashmir unit Vikar Rasool Wani, who is contesting from Banihal assembly constituency, news agency PTI reported.

Besides Rahul Gandhi, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra are among the party’s 40 star campaigners in the upcoming three-phased Assembly polls.

“Rahul ji will kick off the party’s campaign from tomorrow. He will address two public rallies in Ramban and Anantnag districts on Wednesday in support of Congress candidates,” Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) chief Tariq Hamid Karra told PTI.

The Congress and the National Conference have signed an alliance ahead of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections, which are being held for the first time since the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution in August 2019.

Karra said Rahul Gandhi will arrive in Jammu from Delhi on Wednesday and then fly to Gool area of ​​Ramban district to address a rally in the afternoon.

He will campaign for the party’s former Jammu and Kashmir unit chief Vikar Rasool Wani, who is contesting from the Banihal assembly constituency. The first phase of elections will be held on September 18.

Gandhi will then fly to Dooru area of ​​Anantnag district, where he will address another rally in support of Congress General Secretary and former minister Ghulam Ahmed Mir, who is contesting from the Dooru assembly segment.

The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha will return to Delhi in the evening from Srinagar, he said.

Karra expressed confidence that Gandhi’s campaign will give a further boost to the party’s public outreach during the elections and improve its prospects in the polls.

Ghulam Ahmed Mir, Vikar Rasool Wani and former Jammu and Kashmir Congress chief Peerzada Mohammad Syed are contesting in the first phase of the polls.

According to the seat-sharing pact reached by the National Conference (NC) and the Congress, the former will contest 51 seats and the latter 32. The two parties will fight amicably for five seats, leaving one seat each for the CPI(M) and the Panther Party.