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With just two days to go before campaigning in Jammu, which goes to the polls on September 24, comes to an end, election fever in this otherwise sleepy town has picked up.
Right from the airport down to the lanes and by-lanes of this district, one comes across party flags, buntings and cars fitted with speakers. Even the nights are noisy, local residents complained.
No party is leaving any stone unturned in their bid for the thirteen assembly seats that are at stake in the second phase of polling. And, unlike the rest of the state, here the ring is very crowded.
The campaign of the National Conference is being led by Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah and his son Omar Abdullah.
In the absence of its star campaigners Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Lal Kishenchand Advani, the BJP has drafted Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sushma Swaraj, Minister for Coal and Mines Uma Bharti and party president Venkaiah Naidu to woo the electorate.
But the Congress has no such problem. On Friday, Congress president Sonia Gandhi addressed a public meeting at the Parade Grounds in Jammu. Congress chief ministers of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Punjab, former finance minister Dr Manmohan Singh and party general secretary Ambika Soni are the other major leaders to be drafted into the campaign.
Former Union home minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed and his daughter Mehbooba Mufti are trying to ensure that their Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party does not get lost among these biggies.
Not to be left behind, Bahujan Samaj Party president Kanshi Ram is investing considerable time campaigning for his candidates while Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati will be coming on Saturday to do her bit. The party hopes to get at least four seats from Jammu region.
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