Prime Minister Narendra Modi made significant announcements during a rally in Udhampur, Jammu and Kashmir, on Friday. Addressing the crowd, PM Modi declared that the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir would be restored soon, and assembly elections would be held shortly. This would reinstate its status as a full-fledged state. Additionally, he mentioned that people could share their aspirations with their elected representatives.
PM Modi’s statements are deemed crucial as opposition parties have been demanding assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir for several years.
PM Modi emphasized that this would be the first election in decades in Jammu and Kashmir where issues like terrorism, separatism, stone-pelting, and cross-border firing were not prevalent. He reminisced about his visit to Udhampur during the Ekta Rally in 1992.
PM Modi launched a scathing attack on the Congress
National Conference, and PDP, accusing them of wanting to take Jammu and Kashmir back to its troubled past. He criticized their track record, particularly regarding the Ram Mandir issue, questioning their rejection of the invitation to participate in the groundbreaking ceremony. He questioned their electoral tactics, which seemingly disregarded significant events like the Ram Mandir construction.
In terms of electoral dynamics, Udhampur has been represented by Union Minister Jitendra Singh since 2014
He defeated former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Ghulam Nabi Azad, in the 2014 elections. Congress has fielded Choudhary Lal Singh from Udhampur constituency. The first phase of voting in Udhampur is scheduled for April 19.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, BJP won three out of six seats in Jammu and Kashmir, while the remaining three seats were secured by the National Conference.