Reasi (Jammu and Kashmir) [India]: A voter turnout of 46.12 percent was recorded till 3pm in the second phase of polling in six districts of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, according to the Election Commission of India.
Reasi led the individual districts with a polling percentage of 63.91%, Poonch recorded 61.45%, Rajouri recorded 58.95 %, Budgam 49.44%, Ganderbal 61,45% and Srinagar 22.62%.
Voting for the second phase of Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir began at 7 am on Wednesday. Over 25 lakh eligible voters will seal the fate of 239 candidates across 26 constituencies in six districts of the Union Territory. In this phase, 25,78,099 lakh voters are eligible to cast their ballot, comprising 13,12,730 lakh male voters, 12,65,316 lakh female voters and 53 third-gender voters.
Meanwhile, stepping up his attack on the BJP-led central government, Congress MP and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said that they snatched statehood of Jammu and Kashmir so that it can be governed by outsiders.
“In the history of India, after 1947 several union territories were turned into states. States were divided – Telangana was formed out of Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand was formed out of Bihar, Chhattisgarh was carved out of Madhya Pradesh. But for the first time after independence, a state was turned into a union territory. This was done to Jammu & Kashmir. This is an injustice to you. Your democratic rights have been snatched away from you. Today Jammu and Kashmir, is not run by the people of Jammu and Kashmir, it is run by the people of other states,” said Rahul Gandhi while addressing a public rally in Jammu.
Hitting out at the BJP and Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Gandhi said that as long as LG is here, the outsiders will get benefits and the people of the Jammu and Kashmir will be side-lined.
“Jammu is hub for Kashmir’s businesses, production and it connects Kashmir with the nation. BJP government and LG have tarnished this role. They have tarnished the backbones (small businesses) of Jammu, which results in unemployment. As long as small and medium businesses of Jammu will not stand on their own capacity, the unemployment rate will stand still. As long as LG is here, the outsiders will get benefits and the people of the Jammu and Kashmir will be side-lined and one of the reasons to snatch your statehood.
They want to outsiders to run J-K and not people of Jammu and Kashmir.
The last phase of polls will be held on October 1 and counting of votes will be held on October 8.