'Dr Abdullah actively participates in State politics'

Jammu, May 19: National Conference (NC) president Omar Abdullah today formally announced that party patron and former Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah would actively participate in the next Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections and contest from any constituency.

Talking to mediapersons here, Mr Abdullah said Dr Abdullah would contest the next Assembly elections. ''Dr Abdullah had not contested the 2002 Assembly elections, which we lost.

''I and Dr Abdullah both will contest next Assembly elections and question of the Chief Ministerial candidate would be left to the party. It would be decided by the party's elected legislators,'' the National Conference president said.

The younger Abdullah predicted a clean sweep for his party in the next elections. However, he hastened to admit that while the political scenario favored NC, the party would face a tough fight.

The forthcoming elections would not be a cake walk for any party,'' he noted.

Cautioning New Delhi to be aware of some ''vested interests'' who are not in favour of a negotiated settlement of the Kashmir problem, Mr Abdullah said some forces there were working overtime to slow down the peace process.

The people of Kashmir want results from the ongoing peace process and dialogue lingering about is making us (Kashmiris) suffer, he said, adding that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh himself has acknowledged that issue has internal and external dimensions.

''Those people who do not favour the negotiated settlement of the Kashmir issue are lobbying hard to scrap the external dimension on the pretext of internal situation in Pakistan not being normal,'' he said adding that there advice to New Delhi is to be aware of these people.

Fearing that Kashmiri militant leadership could veto the current peace process if it is not involved in talks, he has proposed a separate roundtable conference involving both separatist as well as militant leadership.

''New Delhi should initiate unconditional dialogue with the Muzaffarabad-based militant conglomerate United Jihad Council and the NC will support any move that would involve separatists as well as the Kashmiri militant leadership.

Urging the Centre to hold unconditional dialogue with the militant leadership, he hoped the unconditional dialogue offer to UJC would bring a positive outcome, as they are ready for the talks.

While once again demanding a safe passage for the Kashmiri youth (militants) stuck in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), Mr Abdullah said they wanted to come back and should be allowed.

UNI

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