Refusing to bow before the pressure from opposition parties for holding early elections in Jammu and Kashmir, state Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah has said polls will be held in Septmeber next year as per schedule. His statement comes close on the heels of demand made by the main opposition people's democratic party led by former Home Minister Mufti Sayeed for early elections in the state under Governor's rule.
The elections will be held in September next year only, Abdullah told reporters at an Iftar party on Tuesday night. The tenure of state assembly is for six years.
“Vehmently denying opposition charges of any rigging during the 1996 assembly elections,” Abdullah said, “All elections to the state assembly have been fair and without any foul play.” “I want free and fair elections in the state and will do everything possible for it,” the Chief Minister said, adding, “I would ask the election commission and the political parties of the country to send their observers in Jammu to monitor the elections."
In August, Abdullah had threatened to pull out of NDA in protest against remarks by the central leadership insinuating that elections in the state had been rigged. Bureau Report