Lagatar24 Desk
Srinagar: In a significant political move ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge arrived in Srinagar on Wednesday. The two-day visit aims to assess the party’s preparedness for the elections and explore a potential alliance with the National Conference (NC).
Upon their arrival, Gandhi and Kharge were greeted with a warm reception by party activists and supporters, who gathered in large numbers outside the airport. The enthusiastic crowd even caused a brief disruption as they stopped Gandhi’s vehicle on the airport road, creating some tense moments for the security personnel accompanying him.
The visit is strategically timed as the Union Territory prepares for a three-phased assembly election set to begin on September 18. According to a senior Congress leader, the primary focus of the visit is to engage in key meetings related to the polls.
While no official meetings were scheduled for Wednesday, the Congress leaders are expected to hold extensive discussions with party leaders and workers from 10 districts of the Kashmir Valley on Thursday. These discussions will be followed by an interaction with the media.
There is also speculation that Gandhi and Kharge may meet with the NC leadership to discuss a possible pre-poll alliance. However, Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee President Tariq Karra clarified that the visit was planned before the election dates were announced and is not directly related to alliance discussions.
“The programme was decided even before the declaration of the election (dates) and only dates were to be finalized. This visit is to interact with the party workers,” Karra stated, speaking to reporters outside Hotel Lalit, where the Congress leaders are staying.
When asked about potential meetings with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Karra mentioned that such discussions would occur after internal consultations within the party. He reiterated that the Congress is open to alliances with any parties or individuals who oppose the BJP.
Meanwhile, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has urged Rahul Gandhi to clarify the Congress party’s stance on Article 370 and Article 35A during his visit. BJP General Secretary Tarun Chugh, who oversees the party’s organizational affairs in the Union Territory, asserted that Gandhi’s visit would expose him to the “peace and development” brought to the region by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government.
Chugh also criticized the Congress, National Conference, and PDP leadership, accusing them of fostering separatism and terrorism in the region for decades, before the BJP’s governance led to a turnaround in 2014.
As the Congress leaders continue their visit, the political landscape in Jammu and Kashmir is set for intense discussions and potential alliances that could shape the outcome of the upcoming elections.
