Prime Minister Narendra Modi is anticipated to visit Jammu and Kashmir next month, as per sources within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). It is reported that he will address a public rally in Anantnag district, marking his first visit to the Kashmir Valley since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019.
The public rally is slated to be a significant component of the BJP’s election campaign for the forthcoming general polls. While the exact date of the rally is yet to be finalized, sources suggest it will take place between March 14 to 17, pending confirmation from the Prime Minister’s Office.
The BJP’s strategic focus lies on the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat, encompassing areas of south Kashmir such as Shopian, Kulgam, and Anantnag, along with Rajouri-Poonch areas in Jammu. Previously, the Anantnag seat comprised only the four south Kashmir districts—Shopian, Kulgam, Pulwama, and Anantnag—prior to delimitation.
This visit will mark Prime Minister Modi’s first to the Kashmir Valley since the historic changes in the status of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019, which saw the revocation of Article 370 and the bifurcation of the erstwhile state into two Union territories.
While this visit to Anantnag will be PM Modi’s first to the Kashmir Valley post-Article 370 abrogation, it will be his second visit to Jammu and Kashmir in two months. His recent visit to Jammu on February 20 saw the unveiling of multiple development projects totaling over Rs 32,000 crore during a public rally.
As anticipation builds ahead of Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Anantnag, residents and political observers await further details regarding the rally and its implications for the region’s political landscape. Stay tuned for updates as the visit draws nearer.