Jasrota (Jammu): Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge vowed to fight for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, declaring that he will remain active in politics until Prime Minister Narendra Modi is ousted from power. Kharge made the statement during a rally in Jasrota, where he criticised the BJP-led government's handling of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly regarding the delay in holding elections.
“We will fight to restore statehood. We are not going to leave it. I am 83 years old, but I’m not going to die so early. I will stay alive until Modi is removed from power. I will fight for you,” Kharge told the rally after briefly receiving medical assistance when he felt dizzy.
The Congress chief experienced discomfort while addressing the public and had to pause for medical attention. Congress general secretary Ghulam Ahmed Mir confirmed that Kharge felt unwell during the speech but was later stable.
Kharge, who was in Jammu and Kashmir to rally support for his party candidates in the upcoming Assembly polls, continued to criticise the BJP's governance in the region. He accused the BJP of running Jammu and Kashmir “through remote control” and only beginning preparations for elections after being pressured by a Supreme Court order.
“These people never wanted to conduct elections. They only started preparing after the Supreme Court's intervention,” Kharge said. He also criticised the BJP for failing to restore statehood, despite holding the power to do so, and accused the party of allowing outsiders to dominate sectors like mining and liquor contracts.
During the rally, Kharge condemned Modi's governance, highlighting issues such as high unemployment and a lack of opportunities for local youth in Jammu and Kashmir. He pointed out that 65 per cent of government positions in the region remain vacant, with jobs being offered to outsiders instead of locals.
Kharge also suggested that Modi’s recent visit to Jammu and Kashmir reflected his anxiety about an impending electoral defeat. “You must have heard how many lies Modiji told when he came here. It shows his nervousness because he can see defeat,” Kharge remarked, cautioning voters against what he called the BJP's “deceitful tactics.”
He accused the BJP of focusing on irrelevant issues to distract from its failures in addressing unemployment and development in the region, and criticised the party’s promises of creating 500,000 jobs, calling them empty slogans.
Kharge underscored the importance of restoring the “Darbar Move” tradition, which facilitated economic prosperity for both Jammu and Kashmir regions, and reiterated Congress’ commitment to the well-being and progress of the people.
He urged voters to support Thakur Balbir Singh, the Congress candidate for the Jasrota seat, which will vote on October 1 in the final phase of the Assembly polls. Kharge’s bold remarks reflect the Congress party's strategy to regain influence in the region amid rising tensions with the BJP.
