Jammu: Ahead of the much-awaited assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hit the poll campaign trail in support of his party candidates on Saturday by addressing a mega rally in the Union Territory's Doda district. This was the first visit by a prime minister to Doda in the last 42 years.
Addressing a massive gathering, the Prime Minister promised that the government would "work thrice as hard" and "together we will make Jammu and Kashmir prosperous". "This is Modi's guarantee," he said.
The PM also took a dig at the opposition as well as the regional parties in the Union Territory. "Political dynasties projected their children, did not let new leadership grow...There is fight between new leadership and dynasties of Congress, PDP and NC; these dynasties destroyed J&K," PM Modi said.
"We focused on carving out young leadership in J-K soon after we came to power at Centre in 2014...Want J&K's children to move ahead, BJP has announced Prem Nath Dogra scheme for this," he said.
Terrorism, he added, was breathing its last in Jammu and Kashmir. Pertinently around his visit to Doda, multiple encounters between militants and security forces took place in J&K. While two soldiers were killed in action in Kishtwar district on Friday, at least 5 terrorists were killed in gunfights in Kathua and Baramulla district on Friday and Saturday.
Multi-tier security was deployed across the twin districts of Doda and Kishtwar, particularly around the venue, to ensure peaceful and smooth conduct of the election rally, which was held at the stadium in Doda town.
Modi's rally is all set to give a boost to his cadres and candidates in the region where voting for eight Assembly seats in the three districts of the Chenab Valley Doda, Kishtwar, and Ramban is scheduled for September 18. During the 2014 Assembly elections, PM Modi addressed a BJP poll rally in Kishtwar district. Since then, the people of Doda have been eagerly waiting to see and hear the Prime Minister, a leader said.
BJP leaders believe that the prime minister's visit will significantly boost the electoral prospects of party candidates in the union territory. The party is contesting all 43 Assembly seats in the Jammu division. In the last J&K Assembly, BJP had 25 MLAs.
Voting in the J-K Assembly elections will be held in three phases on September 18, September 25, and October 1. The counting of votes will take place on October 8. This is the first Assembly election in J&K in 10 years, and the first since the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A.
The Jammu region has long been a BJP stronghold, with the party winning all 25 of its seats from this region in the 2014 Assembly polls in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. Home Minister Amit Shah addressed a poll rally in Jammu on last Saturday, while Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held another rally in Ramban district on Sunday.
