‘Rahul must focus on Jammu…’: Omar Abdullah’s advice to alliance partner amid J&K phase 2 polling

His remarks came amid second phase of voting in Jammu and Kashmir on September 25

National Conference (NC) vice president and party candidate from Ganderbal and Budgam, Omar Abdullah advised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to redirect his party’s campaign efforts towards the Jammu region, rather than focusing on Kashmir.

“I hope after Rahul is done campaigning in one or two seats in Kashmir, he focuses on Jammu. Ultimately, what the Congress does in Kashmir is not that important, but what the Congress does in Jammu is important,” he said, according to a report by news agency PTI.

His remarks came amid second phase of voting in Jammu and Kashmir on September 25. The assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir are being conducted after 10 years, and are the first after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. The results will be declared on October 8.

The National Conference and the Congress entered into a pre-poll alliance for the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections. This partnership, finalised after months of intense negotiations, resulted in a seat-sharing arrangement, under which the National Conference is contesting on 51 seats and Congress on 32.

“Unfortunately, Congress hasn’t done as much in the plains of Jammu as we would expect them to do. The lion's share of the seats that the alliance gave in Jammu was to the Congress party and yet the Congress' campaign in Jammu is yet to begin. There are only five days of campaigning now,” Abdullah said after he voted in the second phase of elections.

Abdullah further urged Gandhi to concentrate his efforts on the Jammu region to strengthen the NC-Congress alliance's chances of success in the ongoing assembly elections.

The third phase of voting in Jammu and Kashmir will take place on October 1.