As the dates for the J&K Assembly elections approach, political rhetoric is intensifying. In this context, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti launched a verbal attack on the BJP on Sunday.
Speaking to reporters in Kulgam, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti came heavily down on the BJP government, stating it is disgraceful that the government repeatedly claims the situation in Jammu and Kashmir has improved, yet no elections have been held for the past decade. She asserted that people are frustrated and feel suffocated.
Mufti further asserted that the residents of Jammu and Kashmir want a government that will address their issues. She noted that the PDP is contesting the elections to ensure that the BJP does not suppress the issues and that Kashmir’s voice is heard.
Mufti promised that the PDP would work to eliminate unemployment by providing one lakh government jobs and regularising 60,000 existing positions.
She criticised the Prime Minister’s “unfulfilled” promises, including two crore jobs and sending Rs 15 lakh to each citizen’s account and affirmed that the PDP would raise the voice of Jammu and Kashmir’s people and work to resolve their problems.
It is noteworthy that the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly consists of 90 seats, with 47 in the Valley and 43 in the Jammu region. Among these, nine seats are reserved for Scheduled Tribes (ST) and seven for Scheduled Castes (SC).
The elections will be conducted in three phases: the first phase on September 18, the second on September 25, and the final phase on October 1. Results will be announced on October 8.
According to the Election Commission, there are 8.709 million voters across the 90 constituencies, including 4.26 million women. The number of first-time voters is 371,000, while there are a total of 2.07 million young voters aged between 20 and 29 years.