'NC-Congress will restore J&K statehood': Farooq Abdullah vows ahead of Assembly elections

Abdullah is confident that the NC-Congress collaboration will win the upcoming Assembly elections in the J&K.

Farooq Abdullah, leader of the National Conference (NC), voiced confidence on Sunday that the NC-Congress alliance will win the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections, promising to restore the region's statehood.

During an interaction with the press, Abdullah stressed the commitment of both parties to work towards this objective. His statement came in response to Home Minister Amit Shah, who, at a BJP rally in Jammu, on Saturday, accused the NC and Congress of misleading the public about statehood, underscoring that only the central government could grant it.

Shah had accused the Congress-National Conference alliance of seeking to return to the "old system" and reaffirmed the NDA government's stance against terrorism and any form of "autonomy" or injustice.

Abdullah also questioned the BJP's 2019 decision to revoke Article 370, which had given special status to Jammu and Kashmir. He argued that terrorism in the Valley has persisted despite the abrogation, challenging the BJP’s claims about its effectiveness.

"They claim terrorism will return if NC and Congress are in power, but has it really ended since Article 370 was removed?" Abdullah asked.

During his two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir, Shah had firmly rejected any notion of restoring autonomy to the region, reinforcing the BJP's position ahead of the upcoming assembly elections.

He had stated, "There can never be autonomy for Jammu and Kashmir." This statement emphasized the party's commitment to the changes made in 2019, which included the abrogation of Article 370, asserting they are irreversible and integral to the government's strategy for regional governance and security.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) has announced that Jammu and Kashmir will hold its assembly elections in three phases on September 18, 25, and October 1, 2024, with the results set to be declared on October 8. The Union Territory has 90 assembly constituencies, with 7 seats reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and 9 for Scheduled Tribes (STs).