All-party meet underway; Congress to raise statehood issue

A meeting of all the political parties of Jammu and Kashmir with Prime Minister Narendra Modi is underway at the latter’s official residence in New Delhi. This is a crucial meet with 14 leaders, including four former chief ministers, in attendance to chalk out the future political course of action in J&K.

Jammu and Kashmir Congress President Ghulam Ahmad Mir, following his meeting at former chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad’s residence said they would raise the issue of statehood at the all-party meet convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “People in the state are shocked after the developments in 2019. We’ll wait for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s agenda for today’s meeting and respond accordingly,” he said.

Security forces in Jammu and Kashmir are on high alert as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is meeting leader’s of the people meeting leaders of the people ‘s alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) , a coalition of mainstream parties in J&K, in New Delhi today.

The Centre sees the Delhi talks, the first since the stripping of the special status of J&K and its bifurcation into two Union Territories in 2019, as a significant step towards the return of elected representatives and the holding of Assembly elections subsequently in the two UTs to end Central rule imposed in June 2018.

The government, official sources have indicated, is ready to discuss all issues that the J&K parties will bring to the table, but for now it is focused on getting the delimitation exercise completed and hold elections in J&K as soon as possible.