'Mixed feelings', Ghulam Nabi Azad says as J&K gets ready for third phase of polling

New Delhi, Sep 30 (IANS) Democratic Progressive Azad Party President Ghulam Nabi Azad has said that he has mixed feelings about the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, underlining that he is happy and sad at the same time.

During an interaction with IANS, the former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister said, "The result will come on October 8. I cannot say much about it now. There is both happiness and sorrow."

He also expressed happiness that elections were being held in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir after a gap of ten years while lamenting they were not held earlier.

The former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister said, "The sorrow is that in the last 10 years, there should have been another election here. This is just the first election, but there should have been a third one by now. The happiness is that at least an election has taken place and people will get their chosen representatives in the Assembly, and the door to access them has opened."

"I do not cheat, lie, or mislead. I recognise that some people have become accustomed to falsehoods and have been voting based on those lies, but I speak the truth, which only a few may comprehend. I will never give false hope or make unrealistic promises," Azad said while addressing a poll rally in Jammu on Sunday.

He said that for years, political parties have used division as a tactic, offering excuses not to develop both regions that have led to conflict, while those in power continue to enjoy their privileges.

He urged people to recognise that their shared struggles should unite them rather than create rifts, stressing that only through unity can genuine progress be achieved.

Reflecting on his tenure as Chief Minister, he noted, "People witnessed real progress and development during my time. Through double and triple shifts, we initiated a developmental revolution that no other leader has been able to replicate. Many projects that I sanctioned remain incomplete to this day, highlighting the urgent need for a renewed focus on development."

Azad acknowledged the disillusionment among people.

"People are fed up with the empty promises that have resulted in nothing but chaos and division," Azad said.

"Today, we must focus on creating jobs for our youth, who are increasingly becoming involved in drugs, this is the biggest issue we face."

Azad further said that his return to the state is driven by a desire to serve the poor, who remain deprived of basic necessities such as water and electricity.

In his address, he also outlined a development agenda that includes the creation of more districts, schools, tehsils, colleges, and roads to enhance infrastructure and educational opportunities in the region.

As Jammu and Kashmir gears up for the third and the last phase of polls on October 1, campaigning in the union territory won't be allowed after September 29. The first phase of polls in what are the first Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir in a decade, took place on September 18 while the second phase ended on September 25. The results will be declared on October 8.

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