Amit Shah to address two rallies in areas along LoC

Union home minister Amit Shah is scheduled to visit Jammu and Kashmir for two days from October 4, during which he is likely to address two rallies, one in Rajouri (Jammu) and the other at Baramulla in Kashmir division.

Shah will also review the security situation, meet various delegations and inaugurate and lay the foundation of developmental projects as well. The visit was postponed by two days as he was earlier scheduled to visit the Union Territory on October 2. Shah will also pay a visit to Vaishnov Devi temple in Jammu on October 4 and address a gathering in Rajouri and next day he will arrive in Srinagar. He will chair a security review meeting in presence of J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha in which top administration, army, paramilitary, intelligence officials will be present.

The administration has made elaborate arrangements for the rallies in these border areas along the Line of Control and the home minister is likely to focus on GujjarBakerwal and Pahari ethnicity population in these areas. In the latest delimitation of the assembly constituencies across J&K completed earlier this year, nine seats have been reserved for Scheduled Tribes majorly comprising GujjarBakarwals. The BJP government has now hinted at including paharis in the ST as well, which has been opposed by Gujjar-Bakerwal community.


Interestingly, both Rajouri and Baramulla have a sizable population of paharis. All these communities have a history of significant participation in the assembly elections.

In February this year, Shah had said that assembly elections in J&K will be held within six to eight months. The Election Commission is likely to publish the final electoral rolls in J&K on November 25. Shah is likely to speak about the possibility of assembly elections as well.