National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday said his party's alliance with the Congress was not a compulsion but the need of the hour for development of Jammu and Kashmir and restoration of statehood to the union territory.

The former chief minister also said that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's visit to the Union territory was a slap on the faces of those who would brand mainstream leaders of Jammu and Kashmir as Pakistanis or Khalistanis.

"It is not a compulsion. It is the need of the hour. We want to take everyone along for the development of Jammu and Kashmir," Abdullah told reporters while leaving his residence to attend the election rally to be addressed by Rahul Gandhi in south Kashmir.

The NC president was responding to a question if forming an alliance with the Congress was a compulsion for his party.

"He (Rahul) is a big voice for our nation. It is a slap on the face of those who accused us of being Pakistanis or Khalistanis. I hope people of the country understand that we want the state (Jammu and Kashmir) to come out of this difficult period and develop. I have seen for the first time that a state has been downgraded to a union territory. This has to change and full statehood has to be restored ... that is what we are trying," he added.

In response to a question, Abdullah said the National Conference did not suffer attrition of leaders like other parties ahead of the assembly polls as people have realised that his party is in a position to do something good.

Abdullah refused to comment on statements made by PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti against the National Conference, saying "she keeps on saying different things".

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