Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday told a group of leaders from Jammu and Kashmir that assembly elections there will be held after the completion of the ongoing delimitation exercise, People's Conference leader Muzaffar Hussain Baig said after a crucial meeting to chalk out the future course of action in the union territory.
During the three-and-a-half-hour-long meeting, almost all the 14 leaders from Jammu and Kashmir demanded that its statehood, which was removed in August 2019, should be restored, he said.
According to official sources, the main focus of the meeting was to strengthen the democratic process and the prime minister said that the government was fully committed to it.
This is the first interaction between the central leadership and the mainstream parties since August 5, 2019, when the Centre revoked Jammu and Kashmir's special status under Article 370 of the Constitution and bifurcated it into union territories, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
Modi stressed that holding Assembly elections, just like the successful conduct of the District Development Council polls, is a priority and that the polls can happen soon after the delimitation exercise, the sources said, adding that by and large, most participants expressed willingness for it.
The prime minister stressed that an atmosphere of safety and security needs to be ensured for all sections of society in Jammu and Kashmir and he wanted to remove Dilli ki Duri as well as Dil Ki Duri (distance from Delhi as well as the distance of heart), according to the sources.
"The meeting was very cordial and very positive, very dignified. We all agreed that we must work for democracy. The prime minister has assured that he will do everything to make Jammu and Kashmir a zone of peace rather than a zone of conflict," Baig told reporters after the meeting.
Baig said the government side conveyed that the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be held after the completion of the ongoing delimitation process.
"We were conveyed that the delimitation process will be completed first and thereafter a call will be taken on holding the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir," he said.
However, he said, no time frame has been given on holding the polls.
"Almost everyone at the meeting raised the demand for restoration of the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir," he said, adding the prime minister carefully listened to every issue raised by the political leaders.
Almost after an hour of the meeting being over, Modi said that Thursday's meeting was an important step towards making Jammu and Kashmir progressive.
"Today’s meeting with political leaders from Jammu and Kashmir is an important step in the ongoing efforts towards a developed and progressive J&K, where all-round growth is furthered," Modi tweeted.
"Our priority is to strengthen grassroots democracy in J&K. Delimitation has to happen at a quick pace so that polls can happen and J&K gets an elected Government that gives strength to J&K’s development trajectory," he said in another tweet.
The prime minister added, "Our democracy’s biggest strength is the ability to sit across a table and exchange views. I told the leaders of J&K that it is the people, specially the youth who have to provide political leadership to J&K, and ensure their aspirations are duly fulfilled."
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the delimitation exercise and holding of peaceful elections in Jammu and Kashmir are important milestones in restoring statehood as promised in Parliament.
"We are committed to ensure all round development of J&K. The future of Jammu and Kashmir was discussed and the delimitation exercise and peaceful elections are important milestones in restoring statehood as promised in Parliament," Shah said in a tweet.
He said Thursday's meeting on Jammu and Kashmir was held in a very cordial environment. "Everyone expressed their commitment to democracy and the Constitution. It was stressed to strengthen the democratic process in Jammu and Kashmir," Shah said in another tweet.
The four former chief ministers of the erstwhile state who participated in the discussions were Farooq Abdullah and his son Omar Abdullah of the National Conference, Congress' Ghulam Nabi Azad and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti.
Four former deputy chief ministers were in attendance too - Congress' Tara Chand, People's Conference leader Muzaffar Hussain Baig and BJP's Nirmal Singh and Kavinder Gupta.
CPI-M leader Mohammed Yusuf Tarigami, Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) chief Altaf Bukhari, Sajjad Lone of the People's Conference, J-K Congress head G A Mir, BJP's Ravinder Raina and Panthers Party leader Bhim Singh also formed part of the delegation.
Amit Shah, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha, and Minister of State in PMO Jitendra Singh were in attendance too.
Today's dialogue came seven months after the District Development Council (DDC) elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
