PM Modi’s triple rally blitz to spearhead BJP’s campaign

Srinagar, Sep 05: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address three election rallies in J&K, BJP’s J&K general secretary Ashok Koul said Thursday.

Koul told reporters here that PM Modi would address two rallies in the Jammu division and one in Kashmir.

He said that Union Home Minister Amit Shah would release the BJP poll manifesto in Jammu on September 6 and would be here on a two-day visit.

Koul said Shah could also visit Kashmir during his Friday visit to J&K.

He said that the BJP candidates filed their nomination papers in Srinagar on Wednesday and many people turned out in their support.

“People of Kashmir have faith in Narendra Modi-led government and they will support the BJP during the ongoing assembly polls,” Koul said.

Sources in BJP said that PM Modi’s rally is likely to be held in the Doda district which has been witness to terrorist attacks in the recent past.

“To highlight infrastructure, security, and tourism development that took place during the last 10 years in J&K, the party needs a great charismatic leader and crowd puller like the PM,” they said.

BJP is fighting the J&K assembly polls without any alliance.

The party’s J&K president, Ravinder Raina has said the BJP might support some independents depending upon the situation on the ground in some constituencies of Kashmir.

Congress and the National Conference (NC) have forged a pre-poll alliance to give the BJP a united fight.

The NC is fielding candidates on 52 seats and the Congress on 31 seats while both parties have left two seats, one for the CPI (M) in the Valley and the other for the Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party in the Jammu division.

On five seats of Nagrota, Banihal, Doda, and Bhaderwah in the Jammu division and Sopore in Kashmir, both NC and Congress will field candidates to engage in what the alliance calls a “friendly contest”.

J&K has 90 assembly seats, 47 in Kashmir and 43 in Jammu division.

Of these, nine are ST seats and seven are SC reserved seats.