Union Minister Accuses Congress, Farooq Abdullah, Mehbooba Mufti for Exploiting People of J&K

Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Sunday criticized Congress, the National Conference, and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for allegedly exploiting the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Singh accused leaders like Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti of nepotism and said they have failed to serve the region’s populace.

“The Prime Minister said that he will conduct the elections, and he is doing that. The announcement of the elections has been made democratically. The nepotist parties and leaders like Congress, Farooq Abdullah, and Mehbooba Mufti have exploited the people of J&K,” Singh told reporters.

He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for establishing democracy in the region, pointing out that panchayat elections were successfully conducted and that the upcoming Vidhan Sabha elections will further this democratic process.

The Election Commission of India has announced that polling in Jammu and Kashmir will take place in three phases on September 18, 25, and October 1, with votes being counted on October 8. The region has 90 assembly constituencies, with 7 seats reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and 9 for Scheduled Tribes (STs), and a total of 88.06 lakh eligible voters.

In the last Assembly elections, the PDP won 28 seats, the BJP secured 25, the National Conference won 15, and Congress took 12 seats. The PDP and BJP formed a coalition government led by Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, but it collapsed in 2018 after the BJP withdrew its support following Mehbooba Mufti’s tenure as Chief Minister.

These upcoming elections will be the first since the abrogation of Article 370, making them particularly significant for the region.