Jammu witnesses mish-mash of big-wigs

Jammu, Oct 1: Jammu Tuesday witnessed a mish-mash of high-profile politicians and those, who were deprived of their voting rights for the last seven decades or so, celebrating the ‘festival of democracy’ by casting votes in the third and final phase of J&K assembly elections.

Eleven assembly segments of Jammu district were among 24 constituencies of the Jammu division which went to polls today.

Besides West Pak refugees, for the Valmikis and Gorkhas of Jammu, this election was a watershed moment as they too got an opportunity to cast their votes for the first time in assembly elections. Members of these communities were overwhelmed by emotions which erupted in celebrations outside polling stations.

Festival of democracy also saw bigwigs joining other electorate in the polling stations as voters.

Democratic Progressive Azad Party supremo and former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, Union Minister of State in PMO Dr Jitendra Singh and another senior BJP leader Devender Singh Rana were among major politicians who cast their votes in the polling stations set up in Gandhinagar and Trikuta Nagar.

Azad was among the early voters at a polling station in Gandhinagar. After casting his vote, while speaking to media persons, Azad described unemployment as the biggest issue confronting J&K state. “Youth are suffering on account of unemployment. This issue needs immediate attention as it can make or mar the future of our state,” he said while responding to a query about a major electoral issue.

Exhorting all eligible voters to cast their votes, Azad stated, “Voters of J&K would decide and form the government.”

Joined by his son and wife, Jitendra Singh, who is a Member of Parliament from the Udhampur-Doda-Kathua constituency also exercised his right to vote in a polling station in Trikuta Nagar of Bahu assembly segment.

Besides Jammu district, Samba, Kathua and Udhampur also went to polls today.

Similarly, Rana, who is contesting from the Nagrota assembly segment, also voted in a polling station in Gandhinagar.

Gandhinagar is also part of the Bahu assembly segment. Jitendra Singh, while speaking to the media said that the overwhelming participation of people in assembly elections demonstrated that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had been successful in bringing J&K to the mainstream of democracy. He criticised Congress, NC and PDP for exploiting Article 370 and 35 A to serve their interests. Asserting that the people demonstrated their faith in the policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rana reiterated that the BJP would form its government with an absolute majority in J&K.

On the other hand, a representative of the Valmiki community Gharu Bhatti, while responding to media queries, stated, “October 1, 2024, is a historic day for our community which got voting right after a protracted struggle for around seven decades. We are grateful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. We were brought as sanitary workers from Pathankot. But we had no rights. Our generations suffered. Now we are looking at a better future.”

N Mattoo, another member of the community, also echoed similar sentiments and asserted that the community would be part of the development story of J&K.