Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to hit the poll campaign trail in support of his party candidates on Saturday by addressing a mega rally in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district, amid tight security arrangements. This will be the first visit by a prime minister to Doda in the last 42 years. Multi-tier security has been deployed across the twin districts of Doda and Kishtwar, particularly around the venue, to ensure a peaceful and smooth conduct of the election rally, which will be held at the stadium in Doda town.
"Prime Minister Modi will hold his first election meeting in Doda tomorrow. This will be a significant event as it marks the first visit of any Prime Minister to Doda in 42 years. The last prime ministerial visit to Doda was in 1982," said Union Coal and Mines Minister and BJP election in-charge for Jammu & Kashmir, G Kishan Reddy, on Friday in Samba.
Modi's rally is all set to give boost to his cadres and candidates in the region where voting for eight Assembly seats in the three districts of the Chenab Valley — Doda, Kishtwar, and Ramban — is scheduled for September 18. During the 2014 Assembly elections, PM Modi addressed a BJP poll rally in Kishtwar district. Since then, the people of Doda have been eagerly waiting to see and hear the Prime Minister, a leader said.
BJP leaders believe that the prime minister's visit will significantly boost the electoral prospects of party candidates in the union territory. The party is contesting all 43 Assembly seats in the Jammu division. In the last J&K Assembly, BJP had 25 MLAs. Voting in the J-K Assembly elections will be held in three phases on September 18, September 25, and October 1. The counting of votes will take place on October 8. This is the first Assembly election in J&K in 10 years, and the first since the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A.
The Jammu region has long been a BJP stronghold, with the party winning all 25 of its seats from this region in the 2014 Assembly polls in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. Home Minister Amit Shah addressed a poll rally in Jammu on last Saturday, while Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held another rally in Ramban district on Sunday.