Minutes after campaigning for the first round of polling on November 25 ended on Sunday, the chairman of the Congress campaign committee Ghulam Nabi Azad and PCC chief Prof Saif-Ud-Din Soz released party manifesto in Jammu.
Two mainstream regional parties National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party campaigning aggressively in their strong pockets are yet to make public their party manifestos. So far they are silent on their emotional slogans centering around ‘autonomy’ and ‘self rule’. The BJP is also sailing in the same boat. Despite readying its manifesto and discussing major portions in the media the party is yet to formally release the document.
On the other hand, the Congress, struggling to retain its vote bank in Jammu region has decided to once again bank on old formula of promising setting up of Delimitation Commission, two separate regional councils for Jammu & Kashmir regions besides strengthening Panchayati Raj system.
The Congress manifesto also targeted the youth and promised job creation for them with renewed focus on skill development. The Congress party also accorded top priority to the rehabilitation of flood affected population. Party repeated its resolve to pay adequate attention to issues of refugees, Kashmiri pandits, scheduled castes and tribes and economic empowerment of women in the State.
Addressing mediapersons after releasing the manifesto, Azad claimed that the Congress party is set to sweep the first phase of polls and accused the BJP of indulging in ‘political cheating’ by bidding goodbye to Article 370 and shaking hands with the Hurriyat to realise their dream of forming the Government in the State.
Reacting to the successful campaign meeting of Prime Minister in Kishtwar on Sunday, Azad claimed the BJP transported supporters from far-off places to befool Modi. He claimed only 10 per cent people present in the rally were locals while 90 per cent were outsiders.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also spent the last day of campaigning in erstwhile Doda region and addressed series of public meetings to galvanise support for the party candidates. In a multi corner contest the alliance partners are locked in close contest on atleast three assembly seats while BJP is in the reckoning on three Assembly segments.
Addressing political rallies at ligiri, Machail and Gandhari in Kishtwar district and at Desa, Kastigarh and Banihal in Ramban and Doda districts Omar said that some six months earlier BJP fought Parliament Election in Jammu on abrogation of Article-370 and on its policy of One Flag, One Constitution and One President (Eak Nishan, Eak Vidaan, Eak Pradhaan) and today BJP leadership is saying that these are no issues. He said this is only to fool people for vote bank politics.
Taking a dig on Congress for taking the credit of all the good work done by the government during the last six years and shifting blames on National Conference for Congress party’s own shortcomings. He said this kind of political opportunism by Congress is most unfortunate and people will teach Congress a lesson for this kind of deceit. He said Congress vehemently opposed the creation of administrative units when it was brought before the Cabinet by him a number of times adding that Congress at that time said that creation of administrative units was not their priority but today this party wants to take all the credit for this achievement unilaterally. He said some months earlier when he and National Conference was campaigning for Rahul Gandhi and Ghulam Nabi Azad in Parliament Elections, Congress found everything good in National Conference and its leadership and today Congress finds all faults in National Conference. He said this has amply cleared the double standard of Congress party.