Shah’s rallies are scheduled in Mendhar at 10:30 a.m., Surankote at 12:00 noon, Thanamandi at 1:15 p.m., Rajouri at 2:15 p.m., and Akhnoor at 3:30 p.m. The high-profile events aim to bolster the party’s chances in the second phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections.
The BJP is focusing its campaign efforts on the Jammu region, where it expects to win a maximum of 43 seats. In the 2014 elections, the party won 25 seats, mostly from the Jammu division.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi kicked off the BJP’s poll campaign for the second phase of the Assembly elections on Wednesday, addressing two rallies in Srinagar and Katra. The PM had also campaigned for the first phase of polling, addressing a party rally in Doda on September 14.
The BJP is contesting the J&K Assembly polls without any alliance, while the Congress and the National Conference have formed a pre-poll alliance.
The second phase of the elections, scheduled for September 25, will cover constituencies in Reasi, Rajouri, and Poonch districts in the Jammu region, and Srinagar and Budgam districts of the Valley. The Jammu district, where Shah will address the Akhnoor rally, goes to polls in the third and final phase on October 1.
