Following the announcement of election dates for Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir by the Election Commission of India, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Rajya Sabha MP Mallikarjun Kharge held a significant meeting with Jammu and Kashmir party workers on Thursday. In his address, Rahul Gandhi underscored the crucial importance of Jammu and Kashmir’s representation and statehood.
“You are not just workers; you are family. As soon as we learned about the elections, we decided to come to Jammu and Kashmir first to convey that for us, the representation of Jammu and Kashmir’s people and their statehood is paramount,” Gandhi stated.
He highlighted that, historically, while several union territories have been upgraded to states, Jammu and Kashmir is unique in being downgraded from a state to a union territory. “This has never happened before, and we want to emphasize that the representation of Jammu and Kashmir is vital—not only to us but to the nation,” he added.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge also spoke, stressing Gandhi’s deep connection to Jammu and Kashmir. He urged voters to support the Congress, emphasizing that a victory in Jammu and Kashmir would have national implications. “Rahul Gandhi’s connection to Jammu and Kashmir is not just a matter of preference; it’s a matter of heritage. We hope Jammu and Kashmir will support us in the upcoming elections. The BJP sets the agenda for elections and targets Congress with its frustration because only Congress offers a serious challenge. We need your votes to protect the country’s values, culture, and rights,” Kharge said.
Security has been intensified outside the venue where the meeting took place. The Congress party is expected to contest the Jammu and Kashmir elections in alliance with the National Conference, though a formal announcement is still pending. The two parties, previously part of the INDIA bloc, had also collaborated in the Lok Sabha elections.
