Kharge on J-K polls: When you vote, think about...

September 25, 2024 09:16

Voters in Ganderbal

As Jammu and Kashmir votes in the second phase of crucial assembly elections on Wednesday, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge urged the voters to think about the decade "lost in betrayal" and remember how their state was downgraded to a Union Territory.

Asserting that Jammu and Kashmir is on the cusp of change, he appealed to them to use the power of democracy to ensure a positive change for securing their future.

Kharge's remarks came as voting began for the second phase of the assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir in which over 2.5 million voters are eligible to vote and decide the fate of 239 candidates, including former chief minister Omar Abdullah, in the fray for 26 seats.

The voting began at 7 am across the 26 assembly constituencies amidst tight security arrangements.

In a post on X, Kharge said, "Today, as the second phase of voting gets underway for 26 seats, I exhort the people of Jammu and Kashmir to come out in large numbers to exercise their democratic rights."

"When you press the voting button on the EVM, do think about how your decade was lost in betrayal. A state was downgraded to a Union Territory for the first time in history. There is widespread unemployment and rampant corruption, with land rights and social justice issues becoming prevalent," the Congress chief said.

A vote for positive change will secure people's future and guarantee unbridled welfare, Kharge said.

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