Srinagar, Aug 10: Congress launched its election campaign in Jammu and Kashmir with three of its leaders alleging that there was a "secret" deal between ruling National Conference and BJP to share the assembly seats in the coming polls. BJP and NC have reached a secret understanding wherein BJP would be "declared" successful in Jammu and NC in Kashmir, AICC general secretary Ambika Soni, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digviay Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi's advisor Ahmed Patel alleged at a public meeting at Malangam-Bandipora, 60 kms from here, yesterday. Launching a scathing attack on chief minister Farooq Abdullah, Soni said, "As long as Farooq is in power, free and fair elections are a distant dream".
Singh said, "Today those people who suspect every Muslim of being an ISI agent are ruling the country."
"They are the people who butchered Muslims in Gujarat and were instrumental in the demolition of Babri Masjid," he alleged.
Referring to his state, Singh said, "I am proud that in the last eight and a half years, there has been no incident of communal violence there but there are people who try to sow the seeds of communalism."

Patel said that while there was terrorism "from outside", he alleged the ruling elite was also "busy in unleashing terror here."

Bureau Report