“Shops in Srinagar used to be closed, now….” Union Minister Jitendra Singh

Kathua (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], September 21 (ANI): Union Minister Jitendra Singh said on Saturday that previously, elections in Jammu and Kashmir were marked by low voting percentages and shops in Srinagar used to be closed amid boycott calls and now, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, elections are being held fairly in the Union Territory.

He also slammed Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi for targeting the Government during his trips to foreign countries

“…Rahul Gandhi goes abroad and criticises the government of India and PM Modi. The common people of India neither accept nor support this. The so-called mainstream parties like the Peoples Democratic Party and National Conference, including Congress, have always had a nexus with Islamabad and Pakistan’s government,” Jitendra Singh told reporters in Kathua.

“In the last 30-35 years, whenever polling dates used to be announced for J&K by the Election Commission, the same day a call for poll boycott used to come from Pakistan. Shops in Srinagar used to be closed and the voting percentages used to remain around 8-10 percent, and candidates favoured by them used to win; it continued for generations. Now, under PM Modi, elections are being held fairly and hence they know that their conspiracies are ending…,” Jitendra Singh added.

Assembly elections are underway in Jammu and Kashmir, with the first phase of voting held on September 18. The second phase is scheduled for September 25 and the third phase for October 1. The counting of votes will take place on October 8.

Notably, a voter turnout of 61.13 percent was registered in the first phase of polling in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls, which were held in 24 constituencies in seven districts. Kishtwar district recorded the highest turnout at 80.14 per cent followed by Ramban at 70.55 per cent, Doda at 71.34 per cent, Kulgam at 62.60 per cent, Anantnag at 57.84 per cent and Shopian at 55.96 per cent. Pulwama district recorded the lowest at 46.65 per cent.

The Congress and the National Conference are fighting the polls in alliance. The PDP, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and People’s Conference, to name a few, are other parties in the fray for 90 Assembly seats.

The assembly polls are being held after a gap of nearly ten years and are the first one since the abrogation of Article 370.