Only Centre can ensure statehood restoration: Shah

Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday dismissed the Opposition's attempt to revive the autonomy plank during the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls and asked the NCCongress alliance to stop fooling people by promising statehood as only the Centre can restore the status.

- 

Shah assured people about the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood after the Assembly election, which he said is the first under the national flag and the Constitution following the abrogation of Article 370 by the Narendra Modi government.

At a BJP workers' rally at Ploura in the Jammu North assembly segment, told them that "Jammu would decide the formation of government" and the National Conference-Congress alliance would "never be able to form a government”.

Accusing the CongressNational Conference alliance of attempting to revive the "old system" and pushing Jammu and Kashmir into the fire of terrorism and corruption again, Shah said, "The time when someone else was deciding whose government will be formed (in J&K) has gone. Now Jammu will decide the formation of government."

The NC and Congress, however, claimed the BJP was attempting to sow confusion and fear among the electorate as it was in a state of panic since the two parties announced a seatsharing arrangement and asserted that the 10-year BJP rule in the country was a "disappointment".

Shah was in Jammu on a two-day visit to boost the BJP's election campaign for the assembly polls, voting for which is scheduled on September 18, 25 and October 1. The counting of votes will be held on October 8.