No separate yardstick for separatists joining J-K polls: Jitendra Singh

With some separatists contesting in Assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir, Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Saturday said asserted those who decide to join the national mainstream cannot be deprived of this democratic opportunity.

He also said the alliance between the National Conference and the Congress is just for the sake of power and it has nothing to do with national interest.

If any separatist has decided to join the national mainstream by fighting elections, should he be deprived of this democratic opportunity?

"(NC founder Sheikh) Abdullah after spending 12 years in prison came out the same way and became the chief minister. We cannot have two different yardsticks, Singh, the minister of state in the Prime Minister's Office, told reporters here while replying to queries on separatists entering the electoral fray.

On former chief minister and National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah's claim that the BJP has struck a deal with some regional parties and independents candidates to be part of the government in J-K, the minister said, The BJP does not need proxies to fight elections as we are ourselves capable enough to form the government.

Asked about Omar Abdullah fighting elections from two seats of Ganderbal and Budgam in the Kashmir Valley, Singh said when anyone changes his constituency it means he is on a weak wicket.

He said the question should be posed to Abdullah as to why he is contesting from two seats.

You have to prove your democratic credentials and for that, you have to stick to your constituency. Changing your constituency means that you are on a weak wicket, the senior BJP leader said, adding he had won elections for the third consecutive term from Udhampur Lok Sabha constituency and never thought of changing the constituency.

He said Omar Abdullah's statement on Afzal Guru's hanging inside Tihar jail in February 2013 was shocking as the UPA government was in power at the Centre, and Omar was the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir.

If the central government at that time made a decision about Guru, it was surely with the cabinet's consent, and NC president Farooq Abdullah raised no objections, nor did the then Chief Minister Omar protest against the decision, he said.

He said Omar Abdullah's claim of ignorance of Guru's hanging is misleading.

He questioned the Congress' stance on Article 370 and said there are 70 per cent young voters in Jammu and Kashmir who are eager to respond strongly to the appeasement politics of the National Conference and Congress in the upcoming assembly elections.