SRINAGAR, Aug 17: Congress women’s wing chief Alka Lamba on Saturday termed the announcement of assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir as a victory of democracy.
Lamba, the president of the All India Mahila Congress, said party chief Mallikarjun Kharge and senior leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will begin campaigning in Jammu and Kashmir in September.
The Election Commission on Friday announced the assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir in three phases on September 18, 25 and October 1 and the votes will be counted on October 4.
“It is a victory of democracy. It is a victory for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. After a long wait, democracy is being restored here,” Lamba told PTI Videos here.
She said the people of Jammu and Kashmir will get to choose their own representatives to form the government, and expressed hope that her party will get the majority.
Mahila Congress has started its campaign from today. We will try our best to address issues like unemployment, inflation and poverty. We are hopeful that we will form the government here with full majority, she added.
The Congress president and senior leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi will visit Kashmir for campaigning in September, she said.
Asked if the party would enter into an alliance for the polls, she said discussions were being held and the party would take a decision soon.
On the change of leadership in the Jammu and Kashmir Congress, Lamba said the decision was taken after the top leadership in New Delhi had a discussion with the leaders from the Union Territory.
The party on Friday appointed Tariq Hameed Qarra as the JKPCC president replacing Vaqar Rasool Wani.
Lamba will attend a programme of the party’s women’s wing in south Kashmir’s Anantnag on Sunday.
