We are a big loser, J&K better off when governed by CMs: Ghulam Nabi Azad

New Delhi, Oct 24: Veteran Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Sunday said Jammu and Kashmir stands as a great loser as it got divided into parts and its Assembly dissolved.

Azads' comments comes on a day Amit Shah asserted that nobody would be allowed to disrupt peace and development in the union territory, which has a place in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's heart.

"So, we are a great loser. We are a great loser after the state has been divided into two. We have been a great loser ever since the Assembly has been dissolved," Azad told ANI.

"We were told the scenario in J&K will change after the abrogation of Article 370. Growth, hospitals, unemployment will be taken care of. But that has not happened at all. As a matter of fact, we were far better when it was being ruled by various CMs," he added.

Azad said that Jammu and Kashmir should be given statehood first and the delimitation process should happen after that otherwise it will be a mistake.

"When PM invited political leaders from Kashmir at his residence, I had demanded that we'd like to have statehood followed by the elections. Other parties also demanded. Home Minister assured us that statehood will be granted and delimitation commission will give the report," Azad said.

"I had requested both Prime Minister & Home Minister that we're thankful to them that statehood is being granted and state shouldn't have been divided into two. But having been divided, now you've agreed to give statehood but don't do the mistake of doing delimitation first & then giving statehood," he added.