Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said that the Opposition INDIA bloc would ensure the restoration of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir.

The Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha was speaking at a campaign rally in Ramban district ahead of Assembly polls in the Union territory.

On August 5, 2019, the Modi government abrogated Article 370 of the Constitution, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir. It also bifurcated the state into two Union territories: Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

Elections to the 90-seat Jammu and Kashmir Assembly will take place in three phases: September 18, September 25 and October 1, with the counting of votes scheduled for October 4.

These will be the first elections in the region since the abrogation of Article 370.

On Wednesday, Gandhi also accused the Centre of providing benefits meant for Jammu and Kashmir natives to outsiders.

“Today, a king by the name of LG [Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha] sits in Jammu and Kashmir,” said Gandhi. “This king snatches your wealth and gives it to those from outside. Therefore, our first promise is to ensure that Jammu and Kashmir is restored its statehood.”

Gandhi added: “We wanted that you [Jammu and Kashmir] should first get statehood and then [Assembly] elections should be held.”

However, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Union government has maintained that discussions about statehood will take place only after Assembly polls are held, Gandhi said.

“We will ensure return of statehood to the region, whether BJP wants it or not,” he said. “We will pressurise the government under the banner of INDIA bloc to ensure restoration of statehood.”

The Congress and National Conference are contesting the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections in alliance.

Of the total 90 constituencies, the Farooq Abdullah-led regional party will contest from 51 seats, while the Congress will field candidates from 32 seats.

“We have agreed to have a friendly but disciplined contest on five seats,” said Jammu and Kashmir Congress chief Tariq Hameed Karra while announcing the seat-sharing arrangement on August 26.

Karra added: “Over and above these 88 seats, we have left one seat for the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and one seat for the Panthers Party.”

The four parties are constituents of the Opposition INDIA bloc at the national level.

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