Srinagar: Bhartiya Janata Party Unit General Secretary Ashok Koul on Wednesday said elections and statehood would be restored soon after the process of delimitation of assembly seats is completed in Jammu and Kashmir.
He said that the BJP and the Narendra Modi led central government were in favour of holding assembly elections in the Union Territory.
The general secretary made these remarks while talking to a news channel in Anantnag district of south Kashmir on Wednesday.
He said: “Elections will be held in Jammu and Kashmir immediately after delimitation of Assembly seats. It will take some time for the Election Commission to make new rules after delimitation and then elections will be held.
He said the government has given the delimitation commission till march 6 the deadline to submit its report and after that no extension would be provided.
Kaul said the assembly election would likely be held in Jammu and Kashmir in the year 2022.
He said both the BJP and the Modi government were in favour of holding immediate elections in the Union Territory.
Asked about the current situation in the valley, he said “the situation is not what it used to be a year ago, when it was difficult to walk on the road”.
“Some people have changed their tactics and there have been targeted killings. The government has tightened its grip and I think all these things will be fine,” he said.
Asked about the Hyderpora controversial encounter, the General Secretary said that a magisterial inquiry was underway and the report would be made public.
In a question whether repeal of Agricultural laws paved way to repeal of article 370, Kaul said “it is not the case that everything is weighed on the same scale. Section 370 needed to be removed in Jammu and Kashmir for overall development and we believe it is now moving towards the development”.
He said that the government in Jammu and Kashmir under the leadership of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha is running well and will run even better when the elected representatives come. (UNI)
