No objection to simultaneous LS, Assembly polls in J&K: Rajnath

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said the government will have no objection if the Election Commission (EC) decides to hold Assembly polls in Jammu & Kashmir along with 2019 general elections.

"If the Election Commission wants, we won't have any objection to it," he said while responding to a query by Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad.

Azad had sought to know whether the government is ready to conduct simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and the Assembly in Jammu & Kashmir.

Replying to a discussion on a resolution on the presidential proclamation imposing President's rule in the state, Singh said the government would meet all security needs sought by the Election Commission.

"It is Election Commission's job to hold elections. But I would like to assure the House that we do not have any objection (to holding polls in Jammu & Kashmir). We are ready to provide whatever security support the Election Commission wants."

The Minister also refuted allegations levelled by opposition parties that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was earlier trying to form a government in the state.

"No one should doubt the government's intentions. There was no conspiracy," he said.

The President's rule had to be imposed as none of the political parties came forward to stake claim to form the government, Singh said.

Then Governor N.N. Vohra weighed all the options available before the political parties, including the BJP and the Congress, but they did not express intention to form the government, he added.

--IANS

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