Congress change itinerary for J&K visit; will head to Srinagar first, then Jammu

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi to visit J&K on Wednesday were slightly modified as they decided to head to Srinagar first and then Jammu.

The Congress leaders will embark on a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir for key meetings in preparation for the upcoming assembly elections. Initially, they planned to go to Jammu first and then Srinagar, but now they will begin their visit from Srinagar, AICC General Secretary Gulam Ahmed Mir told news agency PTI.

Mir, who is already in Srinagar, said the leaders would have extensive meetings with party members and workers across 10 districts of the Kashmir valley on Thursday. Following their interactions in Srinagar, they will fly to Jammu in the afternoon to meet with cadres from 10 districts of the Jammu region. They are scheduled to leave for Delhi afterward.

"They will take a full feedback about grassroot level preparations for the elections," said Mir.

This visit follows a meeting that Kharge and Gandhi had with general secretaries, in-charges, and screening committee members of four poll-bound states on Monday.

The three-phase elections for the 90-member Jammu and Kashmir assembly are set to take place on September 18, September 25, and October 1.