Congress, J&K Parties Want Statehood First And Elections Later: P Chidambaram

Congress leader's statement came a day after PM Modi assured leaders from J&K that the Union government favours holding assembly polls and restoring its statehood once delimitation exercise is over.

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Friday said that the Congress, Jammu and Kashmir parties and leaders want statehood first and elections afterwards, but the Centre's wants elections first and statehood later. The Congress leader's statement came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured leaders from Jammu and Kashmir that the Union government favours holding assembly elections and restoring its statehood once the delimitation exercise is over. "Congress and other J&K parties and leaders want Statehood first and Elections afterwards. Government's response is Elections first and Statehood later," said the Congress leader in a tweet. He further said, "The horse pulls the cart. A state must conduct elections. Only such elections will be free and fair. Why does the government want the cart in front and the horse behind? It is bizarre," it added.