Early elections in J&K ‘Very Much’ important: Ghulam Nabi Azad

NEW DELHI: Former chief minister and veteran politician Ghulam Nabi Azad has favoured early polls in Jammu and Kashmir saying the exercise is “very much” important not only for democracy but also for resolving issues of the common people of the region.

He also rejected that his newly-created political party will have a pre-poll alliance before polls are held in the Union Territory.

“We are very keen, rather we are getting very late because we have almost completed nine years – after two or three months we will be entering the 10th year after the elections.

“Elections are very much important for not only democracy but also for issues which the people of the state are confronted with,” he told PTI in an interview.

He said while restoration of statehood is an important thing but this is not up to the assembly. “I am happy and thankful to the Prime Minister, home minister that after our repeated speeches in the parliament both of them assured on the floor of the house, that the statehood would be restored,” he said.

When the prime minister called the all-party meeting, there the home minister also repeated commitment of restoration of statehood but made it clear that it would be done after the elections are held.

Azad, who has been campaigning in Jammu and Kashmir, ruled out any tie ups before the elections. “I don’t think I would have any tie up with any political party before elections. And post elections one does not know whether any political party gets majority or not … I do not want to commit myself to a thing which one is not able to know what to do post elections.”