2024-03-10 22:39:18
Anantnag (Jammu-Kashmir): Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) chief Ghulam Nabi Azad on Saturday said that elections to the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly should be held immediately after the Lok Sabha elections. Because the people of the Union Territory cannot wait any longer. He also said that the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir should be restored. Speaking to reporters after addressing a public meeting in Chhattargul in Anantnag district of South Kashmir, Azad said that we have been waiting for the assembly elections for years. We hope that (Assembly) elections will be held immediately after the parliamentary elections. I believe that the people of Jammu and Kashmir cannot wait any longer.
The former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, however, clarified that the upcoming visit of Election Commission officials to the area is a ‘routine’ procedure. He said that it is the job of the Election Commission to visit the states. This is not the first time that they are coming here. The Election Commission in a state starts preparations for elections months in advance. This is a regular exercise.
The former Union Minister expressed hope that the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir will be restored. Azad had made comments on National Conference President Farooq Abdullah, to which his son Omar Abdullah had reacted. Azad took a dig at Umar for this. Azad had recently said that National Conference leaders meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi after dark.
Targeted at Farooq Abdullah
Commenting on this statement in a press conference held in Srinagar on Friday, Omar Abdullah said that I do not know under what influence Ghulam Nabi Azad targeted Farooq Abdullah. Azad said that people who go on holidays for several months together. They should not question them. On the question asked about the split in the ‘Gupkar’ alliance, the former Congress leader said that this is the problem of the constituent parties of the alliance and I have nothing to say about it.