Chidambaram on polls in J&K: Grant statehood first

New Delhi: As political developments over granting full statehood to Jammu & Kashmir gain momentum, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Friday slammed the government led by Prime Minister for insisting on poll in J&K even before granting the statehood.

Demanding to conduct elections only after grating statehood, he said, "Congress and other parties in Jammu and Kashmir must be granted first and the elections later as its bizarre that the government wants to hold elections in J&K first and grant statehood later."

"The horse pulls the cart. A state must conduct elections. Only such elections will be free and fair. Why does the government want the cart in front and the horse behind? It is bizarre," he said.

Nearly two years after the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir into two UTs and revocation of its special status, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday held talks with top political leaders from the erstwhile state, and said that the Centre's priority is to strengthen grassroots democracy there for which delimitation has to happen quickly so that polls can be held.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who was also present at the meeting, had said that the delimitation exercise and holding of peaceful elections in the Union Territory are important milestones in restoring statehood as promised in Parliament.