Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday said successive governments in Jammu and Kashmir were responsible for the backwardness of far-flung areas of the state.
"Poonch and Rajouri districts should have been connected by a rail link with the rest of the country, but successive state governments ignored the far-flung backward areas of the state," Modi said at a Bharatiya Janata Party election rally attended by over 40,000 people, the maximum from the tribal Muslim Gujjar community from the two districts.
"I promise to connect these areas with the rest of the country through a rail link so that fruits of development reach here quickly," he said.
Modi repeated what he said at an earlier rally in Kathua district Saturday, that the time has come when the people of the state will have to decide against the "father-son party" (National Conference) and the "father-daughter party" (Peoples Democratic Party) in the state.
"Give us a decisive mandate and we will ensure to usher in a new era of development and progress in Jammu and Kashmir," Modi said.
The prime minister said he has come to seek a decisive mandate for the BJP, since only a decisive mandate can help people throw away the yoke of poverty and deprivation.
Modi assured the people that he would "return with interest" the love and honour they have shown whenever he has come to the state after becoming prime minister.
While 18 constituencies will vote Sunday, 20 constituencies in Jammu, Kathua and Rajouri districts go to polls in the fifth and final phase Dec 20. Votes will be counted Dec 23.