Srinagar: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Jammu and Kashmir unit President, Ravinder Raina, announced on Sunday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has dramatically transformed the political landscape of Jammu and Kashmir over the past ten years. His comments come as the BJP prepares for the upcoming Assembly elections in the Union Territory, set to begin in the third week of September.

At a joint press conference with Union Ministers G Kishen Reddy, Jitendra Singh, and former Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh, Raina emphasized the BJP's strong presence and determination to win in the region. He noted that the party and its candidates are receiving growing support from various parts of Kashmir, particularly in Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian, and Pulwama. Expressing gratitude to the people of Jammu and Kashmir, Raina praised the work of the Modi government, stating, "The way PM Modi has changed the destiny and picture of Kashmir in the last ten years has led every child of Jammu and Kashmir to sing, 'Har Har Modi, Ghar Ghar Modi.'"

Raina also criticized the previous governments in the region, pointing out that under Congress, the National Conference, and the People's Democratic Party (PDP), Jammu and Kashmir faced turmoil with incidents of stone-pelting and violence. In contrast, he highlighted the prosperity and development brought by the Centre's initiatives after the abrogation of Article 370. The Assembly elections, the first since the removal of Article 370, will be conducted in three phases on September 18, 25, and October 1, with vote counting scheduled for October 8. Jammu and Kashmir has 90 assembly constituencies, with 7 seats reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and 9 for Scheduled Tribes (STs). The Union Territory has 88.06 lakh eligible voters.

In the last Assembly elections, the PDP won 28 seats, the BJP secured 25, the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference claimed 15, and Congress won 12 seats. The PDP and BJP initially formed a coalition government led by Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, but the alliance dissolved in 2018 after Mehbooba Mufti took over following Sayeed's demise.

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