J&K Election 2024 / Rahul reached Surankot for election campaign, said- 'Modi is no longer the same as before'

J&K Election 2024: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday campaigned for the party candidate in Surankote in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch for the second phase of assembly elections. He addressed a huge rally at the sports stadium in Surankote. Rahul campaigned for party candidate Shahnawaz Choudhary. His rally was originally scheduled for 9:30 am, the timing of which was later changed. This was the first time Rahul Gandhi came to Surankote for campaigning. A close contest is expected in Surankote, where Shahnawaz Choudhary is in the fray as the alliance candidate while his main rival is BJP candidate Mushtaq Bukhari.

Rahul Gandhi's attack: 'PM Modi lacks confidence'

Addressing the rally, Rahul Gandhi said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's confidence is no longer the same. He claimed that when he stands in front of the Prime Minister in the Lok Sabha, he clearly sees that Modi has lost his confidence. He said, "The Narendra Modi who had a 56-inch chest earlier is no longer the same. Whatever law he brings, we stand against it, and he is unable to get it passed."

Accusation of 'politics of hate'

Rahul Gandhi accused the BJP of spreading hatred and violence in the country. He said, "BJP people spread hatred and violence 24 hours a day. They do the politics of hate, whereas our message is that hatred cannot be countered by hatred, but by love. We have opened shops of love in the market of hatred in every state."

Promise to return statehood to Jammu and Kashmir

Rahul Gandhi criticized the Modi government for restoring the statehood snatched from Jammu and Kashmir. He said that this is the first time that a state has been converted into a Union Territory, whereas earlier Union Territories were converted into states. Rahul promised that if his government is formed, Jammu and Kashmir will once again get the status of a state. He said, "Your democratic right has been taken away from you, and we will bring it back."

Rahul's emphasis on employment and economic condition

Criticising the economic policies of the Modi government, Rahul Gandhi said that there is a crisis of unemployment in the country. He said that decisions like demonetisation and wrong implementation of GST have ruined small traders and business. Rahul alleged that the Modi government is benefiting only 2-3 billionaires, while the poor and middle class people of the country are facing crisis.

Significance of Rahul Gandhi's rally

The rally held in Surankot was particularly important because there is a tough fight for Congress-National Conference alliance candidate Shahnawaz Chaudhary here. BJP candidate Mushtaq Bukhari is his main rival, and a close contest is expected between the two parties on this seat. Rahul Gandhi's presence at the rally further heated up the election atmosphere.

Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections: Key Points

Assembly elections are being held in Jammu and Kashmir after 10 years. This is the first assembly election after the removal of Article 370 in 2019. There are a total of 90 assembly constituencies in the state, of which 7 are reserved for Scheduled Castes and 9 for Scheduled Tribes. The Congress and National Conference have decided to contest 83 out of 90 seats in alliance, with NC contesting 51 and Congress 32. The remaining seats are being seen as friendly fights or support to other parties.

The BJP has fielded its candidates on 62 of the 90 seats and is contesting all 43 seats in the Jammu region. The election results will be declared on October 8.

Conclusion

Rahul Gandhi's Surankot rally has given new energy to the Congress' election campaign in Jammu and Kashmir. His speech not only criticized the BJP and PM Modi, but also made a place in the hearts of the local people by emphasizing on the issue of restoration of statehood and employment. Now it remains to be seen how much impact his rally has on the election results.