"The successive governments are responsible for the condition of hilly areas which remain still underdeveloped even after 66 years of independence," Jitendra Singh, BJP candidate for Lok Sabha elections from Kathua-Udhampur-Doda constituency, said in Ramban district.
He was addressing election meetings along the National Highway at Ramban and Batote in the district.
It is appalling that just a few kilometres away from the NH, one comes across townships and villages which do not have proper road connectivity and are deprived of basic amenities like water and electricity supply, he said.