SRINAGAR – National Conference MP Mohammad Akbar Lone on Wednesday said his party will not contest any election till the special status and statehood of Jammu and Kashmir is restored.
“The National Conference will not take part in any election till the pre-August 5 position of Jammu and Kashmir is restored,” Lone told reporters after a party meeting here.
Lone said he was hopeful of a favourable verdict on the petition regarding the restoration of the special status in the Supreme Court.
Asked about the new political front led by former PDP leader Syed Altaf Bukhari, Lone said “such elements were used by Government of India from time to time since 1953 to undermine people’s aspirations”.
“Many of those who are part of this front were the same people who brought down the Farooq Abdullah government (in 1984) and formed a new government. Everyone knows how long that government lasted. They will be used and thrown away,” the Lok Sabha member from Baramulla said.
He said the BJP might be able to take their agenda to people of Kashmir, the leaders who are part of the new front did not have any public standing.
“They will be rejected by people,” he added.
In response to a question, Lone said the hype around the domicile law for Jammu and Kashmir was of no value.
“We will not even spit on such a law. Our agenda remains the same as that of (NC founder) Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah,” he said.
When asked why the NC members did not resign from the Lok Sabha, Lone shot back, “What are we going to achieve by that? Will they (government) release our leaders? Will they grant us what we have been demanding?”
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