The first phase of assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir is to be held on 18 September. Today is the last day of campaigning for it. Meanwhile, all the political parties are working hard to gain the trust of the people of the state. These assembly elections are being held for the first time after Article 370 was repealed on 5 August 2019 and the former Jammu and Kashmir state was divided into two union territories. Ladakh has been excluded from this. Former Chief Minister of the state and Vice President of National Conference Omar Abdullah has termed it a betrayal.
Abdullah has also pointed out that those who were away from elections for a long time i.e. for 30-35 years are also participating in this election. Abdullah was referring to the independent candidates supported by the banned Jamaat-e-Islami. Omar Abdullah also targeted the issue of granting bail to Baramulla Lok Sabha MP Engineer Rashid just before the elections and clearly said that Engineer Rashid’s strings are being controlled from somewhere else. He said that there are clear indications that Engineer Rashid is working at someone else’s behest.
He claimed that Engineer Rashid has been fielded only so that he can make statements against the National Conference and make inroads into his party’s vote bank. Abdullah has accused Engineer Rashid of being the BJP’s B team. Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s party PDP has also been continuously calling Engineer Rashid the BJP’s B team. Both of them allege that Engineer Rashid has been granted bail just before the elections to divide the votes and benefit the saffron party.
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Omar Abdullah is also attacking PM Modi. He also accused the misuse of government money in PM Modi’s rally to be held on September 19 and said that people are being gathered for the PM’s rally by spending government money. More than 30,000 people are expected to attend PM Modi’s rally to be held at Sher-e-Kashmir Park. He said that even before this, the Prime Minister had held a rally by gathering government employees but now it will be interesting to see whether PM Modi is able to win even a single seat in the Kashmir Valley or not?
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He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has nothing left to say so he is forced to talk about ‘dynastic politics’. Abdullah said, “However, the final decision will be taken by the public when they come out to vote in the assembly elections. Let’s see how much people are influenced by the Prime Minister’s words.” He said, “What is left for him to say? He has not done anything in Jammu and Kashmir. No new project has come. Whatever projects are going on today are because of the previous governments. We have not got anything new from this government, especially in the last five years. This is why the Prime Minister is forced to talk about three families. But the final decision will be taken by the public.” Let us tell you that two days ago, PM Modi in his first rally in Doda district of Jammu accused three dynasties – Abdullah, Mufti and Gandhi – of destroying Kashmir.
