Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to address a large campaign rally organized by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today in Jammu and Kashmir, as part of the ongoing campaign for the Assembly elections in the Union Territory. The rally, named the ‘BJP Sankalp Maha Rally,’ will take place at the M.A. Stadium in Jammu city, where the Prime Minister will campaign for all 24 BJP candidates contesting in the Jammu division for the upcoming October 1 election.
This marks the third and final phase of the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. The BJP candidates participating in this phase are contesting from the districts of Jammu, Samba, Kathua, and Udhampur. These districts represent a significant portion of the Jammu division, with Jammu having 11 seats, Samba three, Kathua six, and Udhampur four.
This will be the fourth time PM Narendra Modi campaigns in Jammu and Kashmir for the BJP in the current election cycle. He previously addressed a rally in Doda on September 14, followed by two rallies in Srinagar city and Katra, the base camp town for the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine, on September 19.
The Jammu division has traditionally been a stronghold for the BJP, with the party securing 25 seats in the 87-member Legislative Assembly in the 2014 elections, most of which came from this region. Following the fresh delimitation of Assembly constituencies, Jammu and Kashmir now have 90 seats, with 47 located in the Valley and 43 in the Jammu division. For the first time, the Assembly includes 9 seats reserved for Scheduled Tribes (ST) and 7 for Scheduled Castes (SC).
Additionally, five nominated members from the Kashmiri Pandit community and West Pakistan refugees will also participate in the Assembly, with voting rights during government formation. The abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 has further granted voting rights in the J&K Assembly elections to previously disenfranchised groups, including West Pakistan refugees and those belonging to the Valmiki Samaj.
Extensive security arrangements have been put in place for PM Narendra Modi’s visit, with the local traffic department issuing advisories to ensure smooth movement for the expected large crowd. The BJP is contesting the elections independently, while the Congress and National Conference (NC) are fighting in alliance. The results of the three phases, held on September 18, September 25, and October 1, will be announced on October 8.
