NC bats for early polls in J-K

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah Thursday sought early conduct of elections in Jammu and Kashmir, apprehending that the BJP may attempt to get these delayed for the "fear of imminent defeat" due to its "misgovernance and failure" in keeping up the promises.

"Hold elections and the people of Jammu and Kashmir, not New Delhi, will choose the government they want for themselves," Abdullah said while paying homage to B R Ambedkar at a function held at Sher-e-Kashmir Bhavan here.

He said a stable and strong government alone can lead the state to peace and development.

The alliance on crutches, he said, does not suit the state, which is facing numerous challenges and exuded confidence that National Conference will get a "massive" mandate.

Referring to the landslide victory of NC in 1996, Abdullah said a discernible transformation was brought by building militancy damaged infrastructure, opening of schools, strengthening of health institutions, functioning of the various utility services etc.

In 2000, he claimed his government provided a "record 1.50 lakh jobs" to educated unemployed. "This all happened because of the strong and stable government," he added.

Abdullah complimented Governor Satya Pal Malik for dissolving the Legislative Assembly and ending the five months' era of "confusion and suspense with BJP desperately trying to manage support for installing a particular person as the chief minister".

Even the visit of BJP general secretary Ram Madhav to Srinagar failed to garner support for that person, who had made all the preparations for swearing in ceremony, he said.

Without naming the BJP, the NC chief lamented over "ill-conceived" decisions on GST and demonetization, saying these have "choked" avenues of employment and growth by adversely affecting industries and related sectors.

Even the state like Jammu and Kashmir could not escape from the ill-effects of anti-people policies perused by the Centre. He said the institutions have been destroyed by deploying RSS people in these, thus compromising with their identities.

He said he had pitched for opening of Kailash-Mansarovar route via Ladakh, which however did not happen. He hoped that Modi would consider taking up this issue with Beijing.

Abdullah also assailed Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for showing "least concern" over the killing of a police officer in Bulandshahar by a mob.

"Instead of visiting the family, Yogi chose to attend a sports event," he alleged.