Won’t link J&K elections with statehood: Lone

“But statehood should be restored... not as a matter of charity, but as a matter of right”

Peoples Conference (PC) chairman Sajad Lone has said that he would not link elections with the restoration of statehood, reflecting a willingness to follow the Centre's timeline to hold elections after the delimitation process in the Union Territory and restore status of statehood later. “I would say that the statehood should be restored now. Not as a matter of charity, but as a matter of right. I wouldn’t link elections with statehood,” Mr. Lone said on Thursday. Unlike National Conference’s Omar Abdullah and Peoples Democratic Party’s Mehbooba Mufti who have decided not to contest elections in the Union Territory but only in the State of J&K, Mr. Lone said, “I will not say that I will myself boycott the elections and the party will contest. We all are equal.”