As Jammu and Kashmir votes in the second phase of crucial assembly elections on Wednesday, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge urged the voters to think about the decade "lost in betrayal" and remember how their state was downgraded to a Union Territory.

Asserting that Jammu and Kashmir is on the cusp of change, he appealed to them to use the power of democracy to ensure a positive change for securing their future.

Kharge's remarks came as voting began for the second phase of the assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir in which over 2.5 million voters are eligible to vote and decide the fate of 239 candidates, including former chief minister Omar Abdullah, in the fray for 26 seats.

The voting began at 7 am across the 26 assembly constituencies amidst tight security arrangements.

In a post on X, Kharge said, "Today, as the second phase of voting gets underway for 26 seats, I exhort the people of Jammu and Kashmir to come out in large numbers to exercise their democratic rights." "When you press the voting button on the EVM, do think about how your decade was lost in betrayal. A state was downgraded to a Union Territory for the first time in history. There is widespread unemployment and rampant corruption, with land rights and social justice issues becoming prevalent," the Congress chief said.

A vote for positive change will secure people's future and guarantee unbridled welfare, Kharge said.

"One single vote will secure your Constitutional rights. I warmly welcome the first time voters, who look forward to a better future," the Congress chief said.

"These elections are a turning point for Jammu and Kashmir and let us use the power of Democracy to make that change happen," Kharge said.

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra told the people of Jammu and Kashmir that the right to vote is their most important right.

"For the last 10 years, this right has been taken away from you. Restrictions were imposed on raising your voice on issues like electricity, water, roads, employment, income, business, land, forest. Your right to choose your representative was taken away from you," she said in a post in Hindi on X.

"Show the power of your vote in the second phase of elections today. Vote to choose a government for your better future, livelihood, employment, land, business and for your issues," the Congress general secretary said.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.