'Vote for better future': Mallikarjun Kharge, Priyanka Gandhi urge Jammu and Kashmir voters

Kharge stated that a vote for positive change would secure the people's future and guarantee extensive welfare.

As Jammu and Kashmir votes in the crucial second phase of assembly elections on Wednesday, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge urged voters to reflect on the decade "lost in betrayal" and remember how their state was downgraded to a Union Territory.

Highlighting that Jammu and Kashmir is on the verge of change, Kharge appealed to the people to harness the power of democracy to secure a better future.

His remarks coincided with the commencement of voting for the second phase of the assembly election, where over 2.5 million voters are eligible to determine the fate of 239 candidates, including former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, vying for 26 seats.

Voting began at 7 am across the 26 assembly constituencies under tight security arrangements.

In a post on X, Kharge stated, "Today, as the second phase of voting gets underway for 26 seats, I exhort the people of Jammu and Kashmir to come out in large numbers to exercise their democratic rights." He urged voters to consider how their decade was lost in betrayal when pressing the button on the EVM, noting, "A state was downgraded to a Union Territory for the first time in history. There is widespread unemployment and rampant corruption, with land rights and social justice issues becoming prevalent."

Kharge stated that a vote for positive change would secure the people's future and guarantee extensive welfare. "One single vote will secure your constitutional rights. I warmly welcome the first-time voters who look forward to a better future," he added. "These elections are a turning point for Jammu and Kashmir, and let us use the power of democracy to make that change happen," Kharge concluded.

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also addressed the people of Jammu and Kashmir, asserting that the right to vote is their most crucial right. "For the last 10 years, this right has been taken away from you. Restrictions were imposed on raising your voice on issues like electricity, water, roads, employment, income, business, land, and forest. Your right to choose your representative was taken away from you," she stated in a post in Hindi on X.

"Show the power of your vote in the second phase of elections today. Vote to choose a government for your better future, livelihood, employment, land, business, and for your issues," she urged.

(With inputs from agencies)