More than two decades after their fathers had addressed joint rallies in Jammu and Kashmir, it was the turn of Rahul Gandhi and Omar Abdullah to appeal to the people for a mandate for Congress-NC alliance in the valley.
Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi asked people of Kashmir to vote for NC which would mean a vote for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and not BJP's Prime Ministerial candidate L K Advani.
Addressing an election rally wearing a traditional Kashmiri cap (karkuli) in support of National Conference candidate Mehboob Beg here, he said the voting was not for NC or PDP. "Vote for National Conference candidate means a vote for Manmohan Singh," he said accusing NDA of playing divisive politics besides that of hatred.
The young Congress leader said he wanted to bring in a politics of development, love and friendship. "The country can move forward only with people from all religions, region and caste moving together," he said.
He highlighted the developments that had taken place in the state during the tenure of UPA which included construction of railway line and power projects in Jammu and Kashmir.
The 39-year-old Gandhi said that he was here for his friend and state Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and together they would try and make the state the best developed one.
Striking a chord with the youth of South Kashmir, he said "I have not come here as a politician. I am a youth and I want to be friend of the Kashmiri youth."
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