J&K polls: BJP candidate Pawan Kumar Gupta files nomination from Udhampur West

Udhampur (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], September 7 (ANI): BJP candidate from Udhampur West Assembly constituency, Pawan Kumar Gupta, submitted his nomination papers for the upcoming assembly elections on Saturday.

The BJP candidate said that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said there is peace in Kashmir post abrogation of Article 370.

Speaking with ANI, Gupta said, “… The people of J&K are standing with PM Modi because he removed Article 370. There is peace in Kashmir, stone-pelting has stopped, militancy is at its lowest level, and schools and colleges are functioning normally. Shikaras, hotel and restaurant owners are happy… Today the tricolour is flying high everywhere in J&K…”

The polls in the Union Territory would be held from third week of September. The counting of votes will be done on October 8.

Earlier, launching a scathing attack on Congress and the National Conference’s manifesto, Union Minister and BJP leader Amit Shah said on Saturday that they want to bring back the old system and start talks with Pakistan but “till there is no peace, there will be no talks with Pakistan.”

Criticising the Congress and National Conference’s manifesto, Shah said that they want to spread terrorism, snatch reservations of Gujjars, Bakarwal, Paharis and Dalits, release criminals and start LOC trade with Pakistan in Jammu and Kashmir.

The Home Minister on Friday released the Bhartiya Janata Party’s manifesto for the polls. The BJP has made 25 promises, focussing on women, youths, Kashmiri Pandits, restoring temples and wiping out terrorism.

The National Conference and the Congress party are fighting the assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir together.

There are a total number of 90 assembly constituencies in Jammu and Kashmir, out of which 7 seats are reserved for SCs and 9 seats are reserved for STs.

According to the Election Commission of India, Jammu and Kashmir has 88.06 lakh eligible electors. These are the first assembly elections to be held in Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370.

In the previous Assembly elections, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) won 28 seats, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured 25, the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) won 15, and the Congress won 12.