Won't die till PM Modi 'removed' from power, vows Kharge after illness amid J&K campaigning

Jammu, Sep 29 (IANS) Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, who fell ill while addressing a poll campaign rally in J&K's Kathua district on Sunday, said that he won't die till Prime Minister Narendra Modi is "removed" from power. 

While addressing a huge gathering on the last day of the campaign for the third and final phase of the state Assembly elections, he said: "We will fight to restore statehood. I am 83 years old, I am not going to die so early. I will stay alive until Prime Minister Narendra Modi is removed from power."

As Kharge fell dizzy on stage, several party leaders rushed to support him.

Claiming that the Central government never wanted to conduct elections in J&K, Kharge said: "They would have done it within a couple of years if they wanted to. They started preparing for elections after the Supreme Court's order. They did not want elections. They wanted to operate a remote-controlled government through the Lt Governor."

Alleging that PM Modi did not give anything to the country's youth in the last 10 years, Kharge said: "Can you believe in a person who cannot bring back your prosperity in 10 years? If a BJP leader comes in front of you, ask them if they brought prosperity or not."

After the campaign rally, the Congress president will undergo a preliminary medical examination to ascertain the reason for dizziness.

The National Conference and Congress are fighting the J&K Assembly polls in a pre-poll alliance against the BJP. According to the terms of the agreement between the two parties, the NC has fielded candidates for 52 constituencies and the Congress for 31.

The two alliance partners have left two seats uncontested, one in the Kashmir Valley for CPI-M and the other in the Jammu division for the Panthers Party.

Both, the Congress and the NC have fielded candidates for five seats in Sopore, Nagrota, Kishtwar, Doda and Banihal. The two parties are poised for a friendly contest in these five seats.

Two phases of the three-phased J&K Assembly polls ended on September 18 and September 25. Voting for the third and final phase is scheduled for October 1. The counting of votes is scheduled for October 8.

Around 40 Assembly seats, including 11 in Jammu, six in Kathua, three in Samba and four in Udhampur districts of Jammu division, will go to polls on October 1.

In the two districts of Baramulla and Kupwara of the Valley, 16 Assembly constituencies will vote.

Campaigning for the third phase will end at 6 p.m. on Sunday