Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi declared on Wednesday that the Congress-NC alliance will form the next government in Jammu and Kashmir. Speaking at an election rally in the Sangaldan area of Ramban district, Gandhi criticized the BJP for spreading hate and fear across the country. He assured the crowd that the Congress, in alliance with the National Conference (NC), would counter this divisive agenda with love, honor, and respect.
Campaigning for Congress candidate Vikar Rasool Wani in the Banihal constituency, Gandhi remarked, “This place is so beautiful that I don’t want to go to the second poll meeting. I want to spend a few days with you here.”
Gandhi accused the BJP and RSS of spreading violence, but promised that the Congress would overcome this with a message of unity. He emphasized that the battle is between two ideologies: one of fear, hate, and violence, and the other of love and unity. “We walked 4,000 km from Kanyakumari to Kashmir to spread this message,” he said.
Rahul Gandhi also criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi, noting that Modi’s demeanor has changed from confident to subdued. He stressed that statehood for J&K, taken away under BJP rule, would be restored under a Congress-NC government. “J&K is ruled by a king, but we will restore your statehood and your rights,” he assured the people.
The Congress and NC have formed a pre-poll alliance, with NC contesting 52 seats and Congress 31 out of J&K’s 90 Assembly seats. The alliance aims to pressure the BJP into restoring statehood to J&K and address the region’s high unemployment and other pressing issues.
