'Hurriyat leaders should involve in assembly polls'

Jammu, Jan 12: Terming the Hurriyat leaders an ''angry faction'' and not ''separatists'', Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) today appealed to the Centre to persuade them to participate in the coming assembly elections.

Addressing a press conference here, JKNPP chairman Prof Bhim Singh said the participation of Hurriyat leaders in coming assembly elections would be a step forward towards restoration of peace in the state.

''I have conveyed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that the involvement of angry Kashmiri leaders in the coming assembly elections is very necessary, with regard to restoration of peace, particularly in the valley,'' he disclosed.

''Participation of all the political sections of the valley in the political affairs of the state is highly necessary to restore real democracy here,'' JKNPP leader added, asserting that Kashmiri leadership had been exploited by the enemies of India to destabilise it.

He also appealed to the Centre to declare that the Assembly elections in the state would be conducted under Governor's rule and supervision of independent observers for each constituency.

On the state government's acceptance to bring the Delimitation Commission Bill in the current session of Legislative Assembly, Prof Singh said it was a great victory of his party, which had been fighting for five years in this regard.'' He further demanded that the Bill be brought to the House at the earliest and not at the end of the current Budget session.

UNI