Congress willing to forge pre-poll alliance for J&K polls

Srinagar, Aug 22 (PTI) Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday expressed willingness to forge an alliance with other opposition parties for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls and termed BJP’s promises to the people of the Union Territory “jumlas”.

Kharge along with Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday spoke with Congress leaders and workers here to get feedback about the grassroots-level preparations for the assembly polls.

“This was the first meeting after the polls were announced… We are here to seek the views of local leaders and workers for polls and alliances. Under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership, we have taken the initiative to restore statehood for Jammu and Kashmir. We promise to work towards that,” Kharge told reporters here.

He said Gandhi was interested in forging a pre-poll alliance in Jammu and Kashmir.

“Rahul Gandhi is interested in contesting the polls unitedly with other parties. The INDIA Bloc stopped a dictator from coming to power with an absolute majority (at the Centre),” Kharge said.

The Congress president said the BJP was worried after the Lok Sabha election results as some of the legislations they were keen to pass have either been withdrawn or sent to a joint parliamentary committee.

Kharge claimed the BJP used to take advantage of its brute majority to pass acts like the farm laws.

About Jammu and Kashmir, he said not a single promise made by the BJP before the polls has been fulfilled.

“Not a single promise made to the people of Jammu and Kashmir before polls have been kept. They are all jhumlas,” Kharge added.

Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir will be held in three phases — September 18, September 25 and October 1. The counting of votes will be held on October 4.