Ongoing Assembly polls about choosing future of J&K: PM Modi

Katra: Asking people to cast their votes wisely in the ongoing Assembly polls that are linked to the "future of Jammu and Kashmir", Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said they should ensure the political sunset of the Congress, NC and PDP, which have "inflicted wounds" in the region for years together.

Addressing a poll rally in Katra, the base camp for the pilgrims visiting the Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district, Modi also accused the Congress leadership of insulting Hindu gods and goddesses under a "well-thought-out conspiracy" and due to a "Naxal mindset", and asked people "should they not be punished for this"? This was the second election rally addressed by the prime minister in Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday and third in a week. He addressed another rally in Srinagar earlier in the day. On September 14, Modi had addressed a rally in Doda district.

"This election is for choosing the future of Jammu and Kashmir. This election is meant to take the 'new Jammu and Kashmir' to new heights," the prime minister said while urging the voters to ensure the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) victory in the polls.

"The three families of the Congress, NC and PDP inflicted wounds on the people here for years together. We have to ensure the political sunset of these parties by pressing the button next to the lotus, the symbol of the BJP. It is the BJP that prioritised your interests and ended the decades-old discrimination with the region," he said, giving the slogan "Abki baar, BJP sarkar".

Modi's rallies in Srinagar and Katra came a day after the first phase of polling in the Assembly election, covering 24 constituencies in seven south Kashmir districts and the Chenab valley region, and registering more than 61 per cent voting.