Election Politics
Congress Rally in Jammu: Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi held meetings and rallies in both Jammu and Srinagar to galvanize support for their party ahead of the assembly elections.
National Conference Preparations: Omar Abdullah’s National Conference ramped up its election preparations, focusing on restoring Article 370 and statehood for Jammu and Kashmir.
BJP’s Focus on Jammu: The BJP focused its efforts on consolidating support in the Hindu-majority constituencies of Jammu, aiming to secure a large majority of the 43 assembly seats in the region.
Scheduled Tribe Outreach: BJP intensified its campaign in Rajouri and Poonch, banking on the new Scheduled Tribe status for the Pahari community and prominent Gujjar leader Choudhary Zulfkar Ali to sway votes.
Security Measures Announced: In light of recent militant activities, the Jammu and Kashmir administration coordinated with security agencies to ensure a safe election process, particularly in violence-prone areas.
Election Manifesto Launch by National Conference: The National Conference released its manifesto, promising to fight for the restoration of special status under Articles 370 and 35A.
Congress Focus on Governance Issues: Congress highlighted key issues like unemployment, problems with electricity meters, and house taxes in its rallies, aiming to attract voters dissatisfied with the current governance.
Delimitation Concerns: Several opposition parties, including the National Conference and PDP, continued to raise concerns about the recent delimitation, which they argue was skewed to benefit the BJP.
Public Engagements by Local Leaders: Regional party leaders held multiple town hall-style meetings in various constituencies to directly engage with voters and outline their election promises.
Preparations for First-Time Voters: With over 3.7 lakh first-time voters, political parties focused on youth outreach, leveraging social media and on-ground campaigns to attract younger constituents.
Law & Order
Doda District Encounter: An intense encounter took place in Doda, resulting in the death of four Indian Army soldiers, including a Captain. This attack was part of heightened militant activity targeting security personnel.
Pulwama Encounter: In the southern part of Kashmir, Pulwama district witnessed a fierce gun battle between militants and security forces, where two militants were killed during the operation.
Rajouri Attack: Militants targeted a house in the Rajouri district, injuring a civilian. The attackers fled after the attack, leading to a subsequent manhunt by security forces.
Udhampur Search Operation: A search operation was launched in Udhampur after intelligence inputs regarding the presence of militants in the area. This led to a brief exchange of fire between security forces and militants.
Kishtwar Terrorist Ambush: In Kishtwar, terrorists opened fire on a security patrol, causing injuries to two personnel. This incident marked the continuation of militant attempts to disrupt peace in the region.
Baramulla Grenade Attack: Militants hurled a grenade at a checkpoint in Baramulla district, injuring three security personnel.
Shopian Militant Encounter: Two militants were killed during an encounter in Shopian, where security forces had received a tip-off regarding their hideout.
Kupwara Infiltration Attempt: Security forces foiled an infiltration attempt in the Kupwara sector, killing one terrorist attempting to cross over from Pakistan.
Bandipora Search Operation: In Bandipora, a major search operation was launched after reports of suspicious militant activity. No casualties were reported, but weapons were seized during the operation.
Poonch Incident: In the Poonch district, an explosion occurred near a convoy of security forces, though no injuries were reported. The area was cordoned off for further investigation.
Compiled by TA & PA Teams @kawach
