Hitting out at, what he called as the Congress, Abdullah and Mufti dynasties, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Saturday that the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir are a fight between the three families and the new leadership.

Modi, while addressing an election rally in Jammu’s Doda town, said one family belongs to Congress, another to the National Conference and yet another to the PDP who exploited the youth and suppressed their aspirations.

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This is the first election rally of Modi held ahead of the first phase of Assembly polls scheduled on 18 September.

“What these three families together have done to you people in Jammu and Kashmir is no less than a sin,” he said adding that the three dynasties will be standing against the aspirational youth of Jammu and Kashmir in these elections.

“They are responsible for ruining Jammu and Kashmir for decades,” he said.

“This time, the election is going to decide the fate of J&K. Since independence, J&K has been targeted by foreign powers. After this, the three dynasties started hollowing out this beautiful region. The political parties you trusted here did not care about your children. Those political parties only promoted their own children,” he contended.

He said, “The youth of J&K have been suffering from terrorism, the parties promoting ‘pariwarwad’ were having fun by misleading you. These people have never allowed new leaders to emerge anywhere in J&K. These three families are responsible for the terrible state that J&K was in for decades. They indulged in corruption and made you struggle for your basic needs, he said.

The PM contded that these families laid the foundation for terrorism and extremism in Kashmir by providing safe haven for the propagation of terrorism for personal gains. “BJP’s resolution and your support can bring peace, prosperity and security to Jammu and Kashmir. BJP wants to make Jammu and Kashmir developed and terror-free,” he added.

He urged the people to ensure that the BJP candidates win with a huge mandate and ensure a brighter future for everyone.

He warned the people to be vigilant against the “false” promise of restoration of statehood being made by the Congress as only a BJP government would grant statehood to J&K. The agenda of Congress was to send people to jail whereas we are in the government to eradicate corruption and do good to people. Congress is spreading hatred.

“The National Conference and Congress have always neglected the Jammu region. They want to bring back Article 370, which will snatch reservation; will you allow them to bring back the old era of fear,” the PM asked the people.

He said terrorism is taking its last breath in Jammu and Kashmir where his government projected a new leadership to counter dynastic politics which has “destroyed this beautiful region”. “We and you together will make Jammu and Kashmir a secure and prosperous part of the country.”

He said his government focused on carving out a young leadership soon after “we came to power at the centre in 2014.”

Thanking people for having come out in large numbers in the rally, Modi said “I will repay this love and blessings of yours by working twice and thrice as hard for you and the country. Together we will build a safe and prosperous Jammu and Kashmir and this is Modi’s guarantee.”

Modi said “I want every child in Jammu and Kashmir to have access to good education. Over the past few years, the BJP government has opened various schools and colleges in J&K for the betterment of the youth. The long-standing demand for a medical college in Doda was also fulfilled recently by the BJP government.”

He further said, “We are connecting the remote parts of Jammu and Kashmir by rail. People of Ramban district, Doda Kishtwar and Kashmir Valley can reach Delhi directly by train; we will fulfil this dream of yours. The Ramban station is ready and the trial run has also started”.