Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and party President Mallikarjun Kharge have reached Srinagar for a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir in order to strengthen the party's chances in the upcoming legislative elections. The visit was rescheduled due to the Bharat Bandh, but the leaders are expected to meet other political leaders, including Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti, to discuss a potential pre-poll alliance against the BJP. The Congress has already finalized a seat-sharing formula with the National Conference and will be discussing this with them during their visit.
Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge Visit Srinagar to Strengthen Congress Ahead of Jammu and Kashmir Elections
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge have embarked on a two-day visit to Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, to bolster the party's electoral prospects in the upcoming legislative elections.
Background:
Jammu and Kashmir has been under direct central rule since 2018, following the dissolution of the state assembly. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been trying to make inroads into the region, which has traditionally been dominated by regional parties.
In the 2014 Assembly elections, the Congress won 12 seats out of 87, while the BJP emerged as the second largest party with 25 seats. The Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) and National Conference (NC) formed a coalition government, which collapsed in 2018.
Purpose of the Visit:
Gandhi and Kharge are expected to meet with other political leaders, including Farooq Abdullah of the NC and Mehbooba Mufti of the PDP, to explore the possibility of a pre-poll alliance against the BJP.
The Congress has already finalized a seat-sharing formula with the NC, under which the Congress will contest 28 seats and the NC will contest 22 seats. The two parties are expected to discuss this formula further during the visit.
Challenges:
The Congress faces several challenges in the upcoming elections, including the BJP's strong presence in the region and the rise of regional parties. Additionally, the party has been plagued by factionalism and internal divisions in Jammu and Kashmir.
Significance:
A strong showing by the Congress in the elections would boost the party's morale and could give it a chance to revive its fortunes in the region. It would also strengthen the opposition to the BJP in Jammu and Kashmir.
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