Congress releases list of star campaigners for Jammu & Kashmir Assembly polls; Kharge, Rahul, Sonia among key names

The Congress is in alliance with the National Conference for the assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir that will take place in three phases on September 18, 25 and October 1

The Congress party on September 5 released a list of star campaigners for Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls. The list includes party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi as well as Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Other star campaigners of the party for the assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir are KC Venugopal, Ajay Maken, Ambika Soni, Jairam Ramesh, Sachin Pilot, Salman Khurshid, Supriya Shrinate, Pawan Khera, Charanjit Singh Channi, among others.

Here's the complete list:

Congress releases list of star campaigners for Jammu & Kashmir Assembly elections pic.twitter.com/TvcDKb291i

ANI (@ANI) September 5, 2024

The announcement comes a day after the party set up a manifesto coordination committee for the upcoming assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Maharashtra and Jharkhand. Former deputy chief minister of Chhattisgarh T S Singhdeo and Amitabh Dubey have been named in the panel.

The committee will coordinate with the state manifesto committees for inputs and campaign activities, a statement issued by the party said.

The Congress is in alliance with the National Conference for the assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir that will take place in three phases on September 18, 25 and October 1. Counting of votes will take place on October 8.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, who kickstarted his election campaign in Jammu and Kashmir, said restoring statehood to J-K will be the first decision of the INDIA bloc when it comes to power at the Centre if the Modi government fails to so after the assembly polls.

Addressing rallies in Dooru and Banihal assembly seats, Gandhi alleged that the Lieutenant Governor appointed by the Centre in Jammu and Kashmir is acting like a "21st-century king" and all benefits are being given to people from "outside" the UT.

"Restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir is a responsibility of not only the Congress party or INDIA bloc but of every citizen of the country," he said.