We will put pressure on PM Modi for statehood, Rahul Gandhi tells voters in J&K

Srinagar, Sep 25 (IANS) Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi said on Wednesday that the grand old party will fight in Parliament for the restoration of statehood to the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

Addressing a Congress poll campaign rally in Sopore town of Baramulla district, Rahul Gandhi said: "We will fight for restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir in the Parliament. We will use the full force of INDIA bloc to pressurise Centre for your statehood. It is for the first time in India's history that a state was downgraded into a union territory and injustice was done to Jammu and Kashmir.

"We wanted statehood to be restored before elections. All the people of Jammu and Kashmir wanted the elections to take place after the restoration of statehood. The first and foremost issue is regarding your statehood. Several union territories have been made states and states have been bifurcated. But, this is the first time in history that a state has been turned into a Union Territory. It did not happen. The first step was election. But after this, the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir has to be restored."

The Congress leader said that the INDIA bloc will pressurise PM Modi in Parliament over the issue of statehood restoration to Jammu and Kashmir.

"If they don't do this, then we will restore your statehood as soon as the INDIA bloc forms the government at the Centre. Promises of rehabilitation made to Kashmiri Pandits by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will be implemented and the promise of a financial package to refugees of West Pakistan made by us in 2014 will be fulfilled," he added.

He appealed for votes for the Congress candidate in Sopore assembly constituency.

Congress and the National Conference (NC) candidates are engaged in a friendly contest in Sopore as the two alliance partners could not reach a consensus on this Assembly seat, in addition to four others in the Jammu division including Banihal, Nagrota, Kishtwar and Doda.

The National Conference and Congress are contesting the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir in alliance with the National Congress fielding 52 and Congress 31 candidates.

Meanwhile, the voting for the second phase ended peacefully at 6 p.m. on Wednesday.

The final polling figures will be communicated by the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Electoral Officer, P.K. Pole, in a press conference later.

Voting for the third and final phase of Jammu and Kashmir polls is scheduled on October 1 and counting will take place on October 8.

Elections are being held in Jammu and Kashmir for the first time since the abrogation of Article 370 and also for the first time since 2014.

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